La fructosa es diferente a la glucosa. El azúcar (la glucosa) va directamente al torrente sanguíneo para que los tejidos y órganos la puedan utilizar como energía, y de ella sólo un 30 a 40 porciento pasa por el hígado."
Mientras más fructosa contenga la dieta, más alto es el subsiguiente nivel de triglicéridos en la sangre" escribe Tauber. Mientras nuestras autoridades de la salud se han enfocado principalmente en los riesgos de los niveles altos de colesterol LDL (de baja densidad), Taubes demuestra que son nuestros niveles de trigliceridos - grasas - en términos del riesgo de ataque cardiaco.
Y específicamente problemático para la gente con diabetes es el hecho que las dietas altas en fructosa nos llevan a producir más insulina, lo que a su vez nos conduce a más resistencia a la misma (insulina). Esto es porque la fructosa parece bloquear tanto el metabolismo de la glucosa en el hígado, como la síntesis de la glucosa a glicógeno, que es la forma como el hígado almacena la glucosa.
Y es aún peor, dice Taubes. La fructosa es quizás 10 veces peor que la glucosa por la manera en que nuestros cuerpos forman las AGEs, o Advanced Glycation end Products. Mientras leía a Taubes, mi Educador Certificado sobre Diabetes preferido me señaló la existencia de una provocativa entrevista con el Dr Lustig. Esta entrevista publicada originalmente en el ABC Ratio National de Australia, confirma los delineamientos del concepto de Taubes contra la fructosa."
El único órgano de su cuerpo que puede utilizar la fructosa es el hígado," la primera cosa que causa la fructosa es aumentar los niveles de ácido úrico. La fructosa inhibe el óxido nítrico, el cual de otra forma reduciría nuestra presión sanguínea. De manera que la fructosa es ahora famosa por causar hipertensión."
Lo segundo es que la fructosa inicia lo que se conoce como 'de novo lipogénesis', exceso de producción de grasas... Y entonces lo último que hace la fructosa en el hígado es que inicia la producción de una enzima... Lo que pasa es que los receptores de insulina de su hígado cesan de trabajar... Eso significa que los niveles de insulina tienen que elevarse en todo el organismo."
Cuando le pregunté al Dr Lustig el nombre de la enzima que la fructosa inicia en el hígado, me contestó que ellos la llaman "c-jun N-terminal kinase-1"o sólo JNK-1 o Junk-1 (basura-1). "Ella fosforila en el suero una proteina llamada IRS-1 (Insulin Receptor Substrate-1), la cual desactiva la proteina. Tal cosa induce la resistencia hepática a la insulina."
El artículo del Dr Lustig puede encontrarse aquí.
Esta maldita cosa!!!. De hecho "nos estamos envenenando mortalmente", concluye el Dr Lustig.
Lo que disparó el problema reciente con la fructosa empezó en 1978, con el sirope de maíz de alto contenido de fructosa. La forma más común, el HFCS-55 es 55 porciento fructosa y 45 porciento glucosa.El HFCS es ahora el endulzante más común en los EE UU. Ha reemplazado la glucosa (azúcar de mesa) especialmente en las bebidas gaseosas, pero también se encuentra en muchos otros alimentos.
Para los que leen en Inglés:
http://www.healthyeatingclub.org/info/articles/body-shape/fructose.htm
http://www.globalpinoy.com/pinoyhealth/ph_nutrition/NU033108.php
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/19/yehey/life/20080319lif1.html
http://editor.nourishedmagazine.com.au/articles/fructose-the-anti-nourisher
http://livinlavidalowcarb.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/sugar-fix-author-blames-fructose-alone-for-obesity-but-taubes-counters/
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/17/16479/trouble-fructose
http://www.healthyweightkids.org/Biochemistry%20of%20Obesity%20Made%20Easy.ppt
http://nature.berkeley.edu/cwh/PDFs/CCOC_07_PDFs/CCOC_07_Jan26_Robert_Lustig_2.pdf
Showing posts with label Dieta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dieta. Show all posts
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
12 Tips for Better Heart Health
Diet, sleep, fitness, and more -- how to strengthen and protect your heart right now
By Denise Mann
WebMD the Magazine - Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
How do you get a healthier heart, right now? The answer sounds too good to be true: “By simply leading a healthier life,” according to Nieca -Goldberg, MD, medical director of New York University’s Women’s Heart Program and author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide to Women’s Health.
That’s because even small, steady changes in your life mean a stronger, more efficient heart. “More than half of heart disease is preventable, and studies have shown that 90% of heart attacks in women can be prevented,” she adds. Further, the latest study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that women who eat loads of veggies, fruit, whole grains, fish, and legumes; drink moderate amounts of alcohol; exercise; maintain a healthy weight; and don’t smoke have a whopping 92% decreased risk of having a heart attack compared with women with less healthy diets and habits.
An added bonus? “So many things we do to help our heart, like quitting smoking, eating more fiber, and moving more, also help other parts of our body, including our bones, colon, lungs, and skin,” Goldberg says. And February is Heart Disease Awareness Month, making this the perfect time to start improving your ticker -- and the rest of you.
1. Know your heart health numbers.
Establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year. “You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk,” says Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A Personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family. Know your HDL or “good” cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index (BMI) numbers. And make an appointment now for a check-in next February to see if your new healthy habits are making the grade.
2. Target your triglycerides.
Shoot for a level of 150 or lower, says Peter H. Jones, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“Doctors usually talk about good and bad cholesterol and most folks will have that down, but triglycerides are a better marker for high risk of diabetes and heart disease,” says Jones.
Triglycerides are also much more responsive to lifestyle changes than other types of blood fats. “Your triglycerides can drop 30% to 50% just by reducing saturated fats and reducing your weight,” Jones says.
3. Be a nut about heart health.
Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner, according to Michael Roizen, MD, the chief wellness officer for Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the clinic’s Wellness Institute. Why? Because “walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better,” promises Roizen, co-author of the best-selling You: Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty. “Walnuts will also make you feel fuller faster so you are less likely to overeat at meals.”
You may want to give pistachios a try as well. A recent study shows that a serving or two of pistachios each day may help reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, as long as you are mindful of calories. One cup of pistachio nuts has about 700 calories!
4. De-stress your heart.
Unplug yourself from the news cycle and your email. It’s good for you and your ticker. And that begins with your PDA. “Start turning it off for 15 minutes at a time and work up to an hour a day to reduce stress,” Goldberg says. “Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” she says. “These days, people are less and less capable of leaving stress at the office because everyone is connected 24/7.”
Consider swapping your BlackBerry for another handheld gadget -- your iPod. “Put some relaxing music on your iPod, close your office door for 10 minutes, and listen and breathe.”
5. Get heart healthy social support.
You know exercise improves heart health by keeping weight down and raising levels of HDL cholesterol, but doing it with a friend adds benefits.
“Finding an exercise buddy is really important because social support lowers your risk of heart disease and helps you stay motivated,” Mosca says. Build up to 60 minutes of exercise a day, but even 20 minutes is better than nothing.
In fact, being married and having a strong social network may help protect against heart disease, according to a study of nearly 15,000 men and women. It turns out that people who have a spouse, go to church, join social clubs, and have a lot of friends and relatives have significantly lower blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors than loners.
6. Volunteer to fight heart disease.
People who volunteer tend to live longer than people who don’t. It’s that simple, Mosca says. “We think this is because volunteering reduces isolation and increases social connectivity.” Find a charity that means something to you and donate your time now.
7. Take a heart-felt approach to quitting smoking.
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, but kicking this nasty habit can be much easier said than done. “If you smoke, talk to your doctor about some of the new therapies that are available,” Goldberg says.
Need an added incentive? Take this advice to heart: “You start to improve your heart health within minutes of quitting,” she says. And the heart health dividends keep growing. “After one year, your heart disease risk is cut in half -- and after 10 years of not smoking, your heart disease risk is the same as for someone who has never smoked.”
Secondhand smoke counts too. A recent study found that women who are exposed to other people’s smoke increased their risk of heart attacks by 69%, strokes by 56%, and peripheral artery disease (PAD) by 67%, when compared with women who did not hang out around smokers. Clogged arteries in the legs, abdomen, pelvis, arms, and neck are linked with PAD. “Tell your friends to quit, too, or make new friends,” Goldberg says.
8. Drink a little alcohol a day to keep heart disease away.
“For women, up to one glass of alcohol a day and, for men, up to two glasses a day can help reduce risk of heart disease,” says Goldberg. “Alcohol may help the heart by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol,” she explains. But keep in mind: More is not merrier. “Alcohol also has calories, and too much can cause high blood pressure, worsen heart failure, and cause heart rhythm abnormalities.”
9. Strengthen your heart with weight training.
“Strength training reduces your percentage of body fat, keeps your weight down, and increases your muscle mass and endurance for aerobic exercise,” says Goldberg. “Do some weight training with free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body,” she says. “As your aerobic capacity improves through strength training, your good HDL cholesterol levels will increase.”
10. Measure your waist size to gauge your heart health.
“Take a tape measure and measure your middle,” Goldberg says. “If your waist size is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”
The best way to make a dent in that spare tire? “Get serious about being more active and get rid of simple sugar and white-floured foods in your diet,” Goldberg says, adding that these foods tend to take up residence right around the middle.
11. Reduce your blood pressure by reducing your salt.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressure. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. “Aim for less than 2.3 grams [about a teaspoon] of salt per day,” Goldberg says. And keep up the good work when you are dining out, she adds. “Ask for the sauce and salad dressings on the side because restaurant food tends to be heavily salted.”
12. Sleep to your heart’s content.
People who sleep fewer than seven hours a night have higher blood pressure and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making the arteries more vulnerable to plaque buildup, says Goldberg. In fact, the latest research shows that people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely as others to die of heart disease. Try to avoid caffeine after noon, and develop a stress-free wind-down ritual before bed. Hint? Take a bath, and don’t pay your bills right before bed.
By Denise Mann
WebMD the Magazine - Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
How do you get a healthier heart, right now? The answer sounds too good to be true: “By simply leading a healthier life,” according to Nieca -Goldberg, MD, medical director of New York University’s Women’s Heart Program and author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide to Women’s Health.
That’s because even small, steady changes in your life mean a stronger, more efficient heart. “More than half of heart disease is preventable, and studies have shown that 90% of heart attacks in women can be prevented,” she adds. Further, the latest study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that women who eat loads of veggies, fruit, whole grains, fish, and legumes; drink moderate amounts of alcohol; exercise; maintain a healthy weight; and don’t smoke have a whopping 92% decreased risk of having a heart attack compared with women with less healthy diets and habits.
An added bonus? “So many things we do to help our heart, like quitting smoking, eating more fiber, and moving more, also help other parts of our body, including our bones, colon, lungs, and skin,” Goldberg says. And February is Heart Disease Awareness Month, making this the perfect time to start improving your ticker -- and the rest of you.
1. Know your heart health numbers.
Establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year. “You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk,” says Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A Personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family. Know your HDL or “good” cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index (BMI) numbers. And make an appointment now for a check-in next February to see if your new healthy habits are making the grade.
2. Target your triglycerides.
Shoot for a level of 150 or lower, says Peter H. Jones, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“Doctors usually talk about good and bad cholesterol and most folks will have that down, but triglycerides are a better marker for high risk of diabetes and heart disease,” says Jones.
Triglycerides are also much more responsive to lifestyle changes than other types of blood fats. “Your triglycerides can drop 30% to 50% just by reducing saturated fats and reducing your weight,” Jones says.
3. Be a nut about heart health.
Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner, according to Michael Roizen, MD, the chief wellness officer for Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the clinic’s Wellness Institute. Why? Because “walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better,” promises Roizen, co-author of the best-selling You: Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty. “Walnuts will also make you feel fuller faster so you are less likely to overeat at meals.”
You may want to give pistachios a try as well. A recent study shows that a serving or two of pistachios each day may help reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, as long as you are mindful of calories. One cup of pistachio nuts has about 700 calories!
4. De-stress your heart.
Unplug yourself from the news cycle and your email. It’s good for you and your ticker. And that begins with your PDA. “Start turning it off for 15 minutes at a time and work up to an hour a day to reduce stress,” Goldberg says. “Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” she says. “These days, people are less and less capable of leaving stress at the office because everyone is connected 24/7.”
Consider swapping your BlackBerry for another handheld gadget -- your iPod. “Put some relaxing music on your iPod, close your office door for 10 minutes, and listen and breathe.”
5. Get heart healthy social support.
You know exercise improves heart health by keeping weight down and raising levels of HDL cholesterol, but doing it with a friend adds benefits.
“Finding an exercise buddy is really important because social support lowers your risk of heart disease and helps you stay motivated,” Mosca says. Build up to 60 minutes of exercise a day, but even 20 minutes is better than nothing.
In fact, being married and having a strong social network may help protect against heart disease, according to a study of nearly 15,000 men and women. It turns out that people who have a spouse, go to church, join social clubs, and have a lot of friends and relatives have significantly lower blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors than loners.
6. Volunteer to fight heart disease.
People who volunteer tend to live longer than people who don’t. It’s that simple, Mosca says. “We think this is because volunteering reduces isolation and increases social connectivity.” Find a charity that means something to you and donate your time now.
7. Take a heart-felt approach to quitting smoking.
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, but kicking this nasty habit can be much easier said than done. “If you smoke, talk to your doctor about some of the new therapies that are available,” Goldberg says.
Need an added incentive? Take this advice to heart: “You start to improve your heart health within minutes of quitting,” she says. And the heart health dividends keep growing. “After one year, your heart disease risk is cut in half -- and after 10 years of not smoking, your heart disease risk is the same as for someone who has never smoked.”
Secondhand smoke counts too. A recent study found that women who are exposed to other people’s smoke increased their risk of heart attacks by 69%, strokes by 56%, and peripheral artery disease (PAD) by 67%, when compared with women who did not hang out around smokers. Clogged arteries in the legs, abdomen, pelvis, arms, and neck are linked with PAD. “Tell your friends to quit, too, or make new friends,” Goldberg says.
8. Drink a little alcohol a day to keep heart disease away.
“For women, up to one glass of alcohol a day and, for men, up to two glasses a day can help reduce risk of heart disease,” says Goldberg. “Alcohol may help the heart by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol,” she explains. But keep in mind: More is not merrier. “Alcohol also has calories, and too much can cause high blood pressure, worsen heart failure, and cause heart rhythm abnormalities.”
9. Strengthen your heart with weight training.
“Strength training reduces your percentage of body fat, keeps your weight down, and increases your muscle mass and endurance for aerobic exercise,” says Goldberg. “Do some weight training with free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body,” she says. “As your aerobic capacity improves through strength training, your good HDL cholesterol levels will increase.”
10. Measure your waist size to gauge your heart health.
“Take a tape measure and measure your middle,” Goldberg says. “If your waist size is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”
The best way to make a dent in that spare tire? “Get serious about being more active and get rid of simple sugar and white-floured foods in your diet,” Goldberg says, adding that these foods tend to take up residence right around the middle.
11. Reduce your blood pressure by reducing your salt.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressure. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. “Aim for less than 2.3 grams [about a teaspoon] of salt per day,” Goldberg says. And keep up the good work when you are dining out, she adds. “Ask for the sauce and salad dressings on the side because restaurant food tends to be heavily salted.”
12. Sleep to your heart’s content.
People who sleep fewer than seven hours a night have higher blood pressure and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making the arteries more vulnerable to plaque buildup, says Goldberg. In fact, the latest research shows that people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely as others to die of heart disease. Try to avoid caffeine after noon, and develop a stress-free wind-down ritual before bed. Hint? Take a bath, and don’t pay your bills right before bed.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The 11 Best Foods you are NOT Eating
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes. How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants. How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants. How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death. How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins. How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies. How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories. How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Taken from The NYTimes
Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes. How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants. How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants. How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death. How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins. How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies. How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories. How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Taken from The NYTimes
Monday, January 5, 2009
Diez claves para limpiar de toxinas el organismo
Conviene adoptar, así sea por un tiempo, dietas y hábitos más naturales, que pongan a raya las toxinas.
Desde 1940 hasta la fecha, la industria ha producido alrededor de 87.000 nuevos productos sintéticos; 3.000 de ellos han sido incorporados a alimentos en forma de conservantes y emulsionantes.
Cada año las personas ingieren cientos de miles de kilos de comida que los contienen, eso sin contar con que, a lo largo de la vida, la gente se expone a toda clase de contaminantes: se estima que las personas consumen hoy en día cerca de 100 contaminantes más que hace 50 años.
La mayor parte de los alimentos, valga decirlo, están genéticamente modificados, aun cuando sus etiquetas no lo señalen. Solo en Estados Unidos se cultivan 70 millones de acres con semillas modificadas y 500 mil vacas lecheras son inyectadas con hormonas recombinadas.
Si a todo eso se suman los excesos a los que la gente somete al cuerpo durante las fiestas de fin de año, con el exceso de trago y comida, el consumo de cigarrillo y largas jornadas sin dormir, es natural que el cuerpo se resienta.
Por eso algunas corrientes hablan de la necesidad de darle una pausa al cuerpo y poner en práctica, en forma periódica, algunas medidas para desintoxicarlo.
Es importante saber, en primer lugar, que las toxinas son sustancias que tienen efectos perjudiciales en la función o en la estructura de las células; los daños que causan pueden ser mínimos o fatales, también pueden acumularse a través del tiempo.
El cuerpo tiene un sistema que le permite, por lo general, eliminar esas toxinas. Estas son destruidas, principalmente, en los riñones, en el hígado y en el intestino grueso. Pero si este sistema se sobrecarga, estas partículas tóxicas se acumulan y pueden llegar a afectar a todo el organismo.
Cuando estos órganos dejan de funcionar la medicina occidental recurre a medicamentos para mejorar su desempeño; otras disciplinas combinan ayunos, dietas, meditación y estímulo de la sudoración. Sin entrar a definir cuál método es mejor, es claro que hay algunas pautas sencillas que pueden llevarse a cabo para 'limpiar el cuerpo'.
1. Limite el consumo de alimentos conservados, tratados y enlatados, así como algunos lácteos procesados. Elimine por un tiempo definido (no menor a 30 días) toda alimentación que caiga en la denominación de comida chatarra, pues no tiene valor nutritivo y carece de fibra.
2. Aumente, por tiempos definidos, el consumo de frutas y verduras frescas, en lo posible cocinadas en la casa y sin ningún proceso industrial; consúmalas sin salsas o aderezos que contengan edulcorantes artificiales o glutamatos. Mejor dicho, prepárelas en la casa.
3. Beba agua pura. Cerciórese de que el agua que está consumiendo es lo más limpia posible. Hiérvala y recuerde que la mayoría de la que proviene del grifo puede contener contaminantes, como bacterias y residuos metálicos de tuberías viejas.
4. Incremente el consumo de líquidos: tome jugos recién hechos, pues ayudan a eliminar toxinas; de ser posible consuma caldo y purés de verdura, todo un día al mes; se dice que esto reduce la carga del sistema digestivo.
5. Pruebe el té, los de hierbas y el natural aumentan la micción y mejoran el tránsito intestinal. Con eso pueden eliminarse algunos residuos y bacterias atrapados en el intestino.
6. Si sufre de estreñimiento, trátelo. Incluya en su dieta fibra natural (frutas, verduras, legumbres, salvado, avena y linaza) y si necesita laxantes prefiera uno natural, como el psyllium; eduque el cuerpo para evacuar siempre a la misma hora.
7. El vapor siempre ayuda. Si le es posible, y durante un mes, vaya una vez por semana a saunas o a baños de vapor; estos ayudan a incrementar la frecuencia cardíaca, la sudoración y el metabolismo, con lo que se promueve, de paso, la eliminación de toxinas.
8. Descanse lo necesario. Ajuste sus horarios y haga un esfuerzo por adoptar la sana costumbre de dormir entre siete y ocho horas cada noche. El estrés libera toxinas en el cuerpo, por lo tanto la relajación equilibra el sistema nervioso y disminuye estos efectos.
9. No se exponga. Aunque a veces no es posible protegerse de la contaminación del ambiente, por su cuenta evite el uso, al menos durante un mes, de ambientadores, aerosoles y toda clase de productos para el cuerpo que tengan químicos en exceso.
10. No se automedique. Los fármacos no son inocuos. No los utilice a menos que sea imprescindible, es decir cuando un médico se los recete. Si ese es el caso consúmalos de acuerdo con las dosis y los tiempos recomendados.
FUENTE: ASOCIACIÓN COLOMBIANA DE SOCIEDADES CIENTÍFICAS.
CARLOS F. FERNÁNDEZSONIA PERILLAREDACCIÓN SALUD
Desde 1940 hasta la fecha, la industria ha producido alrededor de 87.000 nuevos productos sintéticos; 3.000 de ellos han sido incorporados a alimentos en forma de conservantes y emulsionantes.
Cada año las personas ingieren cientos de miles de kilos de comida que los contienen, eso sin contar con que, a lo largo de la vida, la gente se expone a toda clase de contaminantes: se estima que las personas consumen hoy en día cerca de 100 contaminantes más que hace 50 años.
La mayor parte de los alimentos, valga decirlo, están genéticamente modificados, aun cuando sus etiquetas no lo señalen. Solo en Estados Unidos se cultivan 70 millones de acres con semillas modificadas y 500 mil vacas lecheras son inyectadas con hormonas recombinadas.
Si a todo eso se suman los excesos a los que la gente somete al cuerpo durante las fiestas de fin de año, con el exceso de trago y comida, el consumo de cigarrillo y largas jornadas sin dormir, es natural que el cuerpo se resienta.
Por eso algunas corrientes hablan de la necesidad de darle una pausa al cuerpo y poner en práctica, en forma periódica, algunas medidas para desintoxicarlo.
Es importante saber, en primer lugar, que las toxinas son sustancias que tienen efectos perjudiciales en la función o en la estructura de las células; los daños que causan pueden ser mínimos o fatales, también pueden acumularse a través del tiempo.
El cuerpo tiene un sistema que le permite, por lo general, eliminar esas toxinas. Estas son destruidas, principalmente, en los riñones, en el hígado y en el intestino grueso. Pero si este sistema se sobrecarga, estas partículas tóxicas se acumulan y pueden llegar a afectar a todo el organismo.
Cuando estos órganos dejan de funcionar la medicina occidental recurre a medicamentos para mejorar su desempeño; otras disciplinas combinan ayunos, dietas, meditación y estímulo de la sudoración. Sin entrar a definir cuál método es mejor, es claro que hay algunas pautas sencillas que pueden llevarse a cabo para 'limpiar el cuerpo'.
1. Limite el consumo de alimentos conservados, tratados y enlatados, así como algunos lácteos procesados. Elimine por un tiempo definido (no menor a 30 días) toda alimentación que caiga en la denominación de comida chatarra, pues no tiene valor nutritivo y carece de fibra.
2. Aumente, por tiempos definidos, el consumo de frutas y verduras frescas, en lo posible cocinadas en la casa y sin ningún proceso industrial; consúmalas sin salsas o aderezos que contengan edulcorantes artificiales o glutamatos. Mejor dicho, prepárelas en la casa.
3. Beba agua pura. Cerciórese de que el agua que está consumiendo es lo más limpia posible. Hiérvala y recuerde que la mayoría de la que proviene del grifo puede contener contaminantes, como bacterias y residuos metálicos de tuberías viejas.
4. Incremente el consumo de líquidos: tome jugos recién hechos, pues ayudan a eliminar toxinas; de ser posible consuma caldo y purés de verdura, todo un día al mes; se dice que esto reduce la carga del sistema digestivo.
5. Pruebe el té, los de hierbas y el natural aumentan la micción y mejoran el tránsito intestinal. Con eso pueden eliminarse algunos residuos y bacterias atrapados en el intestino.
6. Si sufre de estreñimiento, trátelo. Incluya en su dieta fibra natural (frutas, verduras, legumbres, salvado, avena y linaza) y si necesita laxantes prefiera uno natural, como el psyllium; eduque el cuerpo para evacuar siempre a la misma hora.
7. El vapor siempre ayuda. Si le es posible, y durante un mes, vaya una vez por semana a saunas o a baños de vapor; estos ayudan a incrementar la frecuencia cardíaca, la sudoración y el metabolismo, con lo que se promueve, de paso, la eliminación de toxinas.
8. Descanse lo necesario. Ajuste sus horarios y haga un esfuerzo por adoptar la sana costumbre de dormir entre siete y ocho horas cada noche. El estrés libera toxinas en el cuerpo, por lo tanto la relajación equilibra el sistema nervioso y disminuye estos efectos.
9. No se exponga. Aunque a veces no es posible protegerse de la contaminación del ambiente, por su cuenta evite el uso, al menos durante un mes, de ambientadores, aerosoles y toda clase de productos para el cuerpo que tengan químicos en exceso.
10. No se automedique. Los fármacos no son inocuos. No los utilice a menos que sea imprescindible, es decir cuando un médico se los recete. Si ese es el caso consúmalos de acuerdo con las dosis y los tiempos recomendados.
FUENTE: ASOCIACIÓN COLOMBIANA DE SOCIEDADES CIENTÍFICAS.
CARLOS F. FERNÁNDEZSONIA PERILLAREDACCIÓN SALUD
Friday, October 24, 2008
Comer despacio
eltiempo.com / opinión / columnistas
Manuel Guzman Hennessey
Quiere el gordo Fernández someterse a un "bypass gástrico". Podría comer más despacio y obtener lo que desea. Quizás de una manera menos drástica, más lentamente, pero también más felizmente.
Lo dijo Borges en su poema Instantes: demorarse más. Y lo dicen los investigadores de la Universidad de Osaka, que publicaron, por estos días, en British Medical Journal, una investigación basada en el análisis de los hábitos alimentarios de 3.000 personas. "Si uno come rápidamente está llenando el estómago antes de que la información gástrica tenga una oportunidad de generarse", dijo el profesor Ian McDonald, de la Universidad de Nottingham.
Otro estudio, de la Universidad de Rhode Island, publicado en Journal of the American Dietetic Association, llega a la misma conclusión: si se baja la velocidad de la ingestión, se puede bajar de peso.Las doctoras Elizabeth Denney-Wilson y Karen Campbell van más allá. El editorial que presenta los resultados del estudio dice que el mecanismo que nos hace gordos hoy, podría haber sido, hasta hace relativamente poco, una ventaja evolutiva, que nos ayudaba a consumir más alimento cuando este era escaso. Algunos comen siempre de prisa (o depredan, como un amigo mío); quizás creen que alguien les puede arrebatar el alimento.
La información sobre este peligro probablemente está en la genética de individuos mamíferos, que necesitaron sobrevivir cuando escaseaban los alimentos. Y quizás debido a ello, una de las nuevas áreas desde la cual hoy se estudia la obesidad se aparta de lo puramente fisiológico y aborda el problema desde los comportamientos del acto de comer. Es lo que hace el laboratorio Kissileff, de la Universidad de Liverpool. Uno de sus investigadores, el doctor Jason Halford, encontró que el medicamento contra la obesidad llamado sibutramine actúa desacelerando el ritmo al que los gorditos comen.
Ahora bien, comer despacio reporta más placer que comer rápido; lo promueve la tendencia comida lenta (slow food) y lo disfrutan muchos otros (y otras) a quienes no puedo mencionar aquí, y no porque coman muy rápido, sino porque hacen parte de los felices cumplidores de la sentencia de Alejandro Casona: todo hombre bien comido será siempre un hombre bueno, y todo hombre bien bebido, será siempre un hombre sabio. Ojalá ninguno insista en cirugías, pues otro estudio, de la Universidad de Wake Forest (Estados Unidos), identificó 32 casos de encefalopatía de Wernicke entre quienes se sometieron a cirugía para reducción de peso.
guzmanhennessey@yahoo.com.ar
Manuel Guzman Hennessey es Director del Centro de Aplicaciones de la Teoría del Caos
Manuel Guzman Hennessey
Quiere el gordo Fernández someterse a un "bypass gástrico". Podría comer más despacio y obtener lo que desea. Quizás de una manera menos drástica, más lentamente, pero también más felizmente.
Lo dijo Borges en su poema Instantes: demorarse más. Y lo dicen los investigadores de la Universidad de Osaka, que publicaron, por estos días, en British Medical Journal, una investigación basada en el análisis de los hábitos alimentarios de 3.000 personas. "Si uno come rápidamente está llenando el estómago antes de que la información gástrica tenga una oportunidad de generarse", dijo el profesor Ian McDonald, de la Universidad de Nottingham.
Otro estudio, de la Universidad de Rhode Island, publicado en Journal of the American Dietetic Association, llega a la misma conclusión: si se baja la velocidad de la ingestión, se puede bajar de peso.Las doctoras Elizabeth Denney-Wilson y Karen Campbell van más allá. El editorial que presenta los resultados del estudio dice que el mecanismo que nos hace gordos hoy, podría haber sido, hasta hace relativamente poco, una ventaja evolutiva, que nos ayudaba a consumir más alimento cuando este era escaso. Algunos comen siempre de prisa (o depredan, como un amigo mío); quizás creen que alguien les puede arrebatar el alimento.
La información sobre este peligro probablemente está en la genética de individuos mamíferos, que necesitaron sobrevivir cuando escaseaban los alimentos. Y quizás debido a ello, una de las nuevas áreas desde la cual hoy se estudia la obesidad se aparta de lo puramente fisiológico y aborda el problema desde los comportamientos del acto de comer. Es lo que hace el laboratorio Kissileff, de la Universidad de Liverpool. Uno de sus investigadores, el doctor Jason Halford, encontró que el medicamento contra la obesidad llamado sibutramine actúa desacelerando el ritmo al que los gorditos comen.
Ahora bien, comer despacio reporta más placer que comer rápido; lo promueve la tendencia comida lenta (slow food) y lo disfrutan muchos otros (y otras) a quienes no puedo mencionar aquí, y no porque coman muy rápido, sino porque hacen parte de los felices cumplidores de la sentencia de Alejandro Casona: todo hombre bien comido será siempre un hombre bueno, y todo hombre bien bebido, será siempre un hombre sabio. Ojalá ninguno insista en cirugías, pues otro estudio, de la Universidad de Wake Forest (Estados Unidos), identificó 32 casos de encefalopatía de Wernicke entre quienes se sometieron a cirugía para reducción de peso.
guzmanhennessey@yahoo.com.ar
Manuel Guzman Hennessey es Director del Centro de Aplicaciones de la Teoría del Caos
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Salud - Tres veces al día se debe consumir fruta
Las frutas aportan a nuestro organismo una gran cantidad de nutrientes
Fecha de última actualización : 2008-07-25 15:17:10
Bogotá, Colombia (RCN) - Una buena dieta debe tener frutas, son básicas para prevenir y superar enfermedades. Expertas en este tema recomiendan comerlas tres veces, entre ellas, toronja, mango y patilla.
Dentro de la gran cadena alimenticia las frutas son importantes por su aporte en vitaminas, hierro, fibra y minerales que favorecen el desarrollo del organismo. La toronja es de gran importancia por su alto contenido en vitamina C, contribuye a la buena salud de los huesos, su consumo ayuda a fortalecer el sistema inmunológico evitando algunos virus como la gripa.
“Es una fruta que hidrata, que tiene fuentes de vitamina C, es una fruta que se puede comer después del desayuno, después del almuerzo. Se recomienda comer pelada, se recomienda que se le quite la cáscara y el hollejito y que la persona se coma solamente la fibra”, señaló la nutricionista, Martha Rocío López. Por su gran aporte nutricional en fibra el mango se ubica en el segundo lugar de las frutas con mayor valor nutricional.
“Lo recomiendo mucho a mis pacientes que tiene problemas de estreñimiento y que tienen problemas de azúcar porque el mango vale el aporte de fibra, pero no da aporte de azúcar. Las personas lo pueden comer con sal y con limón”, aseguró López.
La patilla es uno de los frutos rojos ricos en agua, que facilita la rehidratación del organismo.“Es una fruta que no hace daño para los problemas de azúcar, es una fruta que hidrata, que a todas las personas les gusta, que no cae mal al estómago, que no da acidez, que ayuda a la diuresis”, afirmó la especialista.
Es de gran importancia incluir en nuestra dieta diaria al menos una porción de fruta.“Puede utilizar una media porción por ejemplo de papaya y vamos a mezclarla con una media porción de melón o le vamos a colocar unas fresas, entonces ya esto es como manejar un poquito los costos alimentarios también de las personas”, comentó la presidenta de la Asociación Colombiana de Nutricionistas y Dietistas, Lucía Correa de Ruiz. Los expertos concluyen que las frutas aportan a nuestro organismo una gran cantidad de nutrientes que son de gran importancia para la prevención de distintas enfermedades.
Fecha de última actualización : 2008-07-25 15:17:10
Bogotá, Colombia (RCN) - Una buena dieta debe tener frutas, son básicas para prevenir y superar enfermedades. Expertas en este tema recomiendan comerlas tres veces, entre ellas, toronja, mango y patilla.
Dentro de la gran cadena alimenticia las frutas son importantes por su aporte en vitaminas, hierro, fibra y minerales que favorecen el desarrollo del organismo. La toronja es de gran importancia por su alto contenido en vitamina C, contribuye a la buena salud de los huesos, su consumo ayuda a fortalecer el sistema inmunológico evitando algunos virus como la gripa.
“Es una fruta que hidrata, que tiene fuentes de vitamina C, es una fruta que se puede comer después del desayuno, después del almuerzo. Se recomienda comer pelada, se recomienda que se le quite la cáscara y el hollejito y que la persona se coma solamente la fibra”, señaló la nutricionista, Martha Rocío López. Por su gran aporte nutricional en fibra el mango se ubica en el segundo lugar de las frutas con mayor valor nutricional.
“Lo recomiendo mucho a mis pacientes que tiene problemas de estreñimiento y que tienen problemas de azúcar porque el mango vale el aporte de fibra, pero no da aporte de azúcar. Las personas lo pueden comer con sal y con limón”, aseguró López.
La patilla es uno de los frutos rojos ricos en agua, que facilita la rehidratación del organismo.“Es una fruta que no hace daño para los problemas de azúcar, es una fruta que hidrata, que a todas las personas les gusta, que no cae mal al estómago, que no da acidez, que ayuda a la diuresis”, afirmó la especialista.
Es de gran importancia incluir en nuestra dieta diaria al menos una porción de fruta.“Puede utilizar una media porción por ejemplo de papaya y vamos a mezclarla con una media porción de melón o le vamos a colocar unas fresas, entonces ya esto es como manejar un poquito los costos alimentarios también de las personas”, comentó la presidenta de la Asociación Colombiana de Nutricionistas y Dietistas, Lucía Correa de Ruiz. Los expertos concluyen que las frutas aportan a nuestro organismo una gran cantidad de nutrientes que son de gran importancia para la prevención de distintas enfermedades.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Eat your way to a better brain
Cognition nutrition
Food for thought
Jul 17th 2008
From The Economist print edition
CHILDREN have a lot to contend with these days, not least a tendency for their pushy parents to force-feed them omega-3 oils at every opportunity. These are supposed to make children brainier, so they are being added to everything from bread, milk and pasta to baby formula and vitamin tablets. But omega-3 is just the tip of the nutritional iceberg; many nutrients have proven cognitive effects, and do so throughout a person’s life, not merely when he is a child.
Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a fish-loving professor of neurosurgery and physiological science at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that appropriate changes to a person’s diet can enhance his cognitive abilities, protect his brain from damage and counteract the effects of ageing. Dr Gómez-Pinilla has been studying the effects of food on the brain for years, and has now completed a review, just published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, that has analysed more than 160 studies of food’s effect on the brain. Some foods, he concludes, are like pharmaceutical compounds; their effects are so profound that the mental health of entire countries may be linked to them.
Last year, for example, the Lancet published research showing that folic-acid supplements—sometimes taken by pregnant women—can help those between 50 and 70 years old ward off the cognitive decline that accompanies ageing. In a study lasting three years, Jane Durga, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and her colleagues found that people taking such supplements did better on measures of memory, information-processing speed and verbal fluency. That, plus evidence that folate deficiency is associated with clinical depression, suggests eating spinach, orange juice and Marmite, which are all rich in folic acid.
Another suggestion from Dr Gómez-Pinilla’s review is that people should eat more antioxidants. That idea is not new. Antioxidants are reckoned by many to protect against the general effects of ageing. Vitamin E, for example, which is found in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy vegetables, has been linked (in mice) with the retention of memory into old age, and also with longer life.
Dr Gómez-Pinilla, however, gives the antioxidant story a particular twist. The brain, he observes, is peculiarly susceptible to oxidative damage. It consumes a lot of energy, and the reactions that release this energy also generate oxidising chemicals. Moreover, brain tissue contains a great deal of oxidisable material, particularly in the fatty membranes surrounding nerve cells.
That suggests, among other things, the value of a diet rich in berries. These have been shown to have strong antioxidant effects, though only a small number of their constituents have been evaluated in detail. One group that has been evaluated, the polyphenols, has been shown in rodents to reduce oxidative damage and to boost the ability to learn and retain memories. In particular, these chemicals affect changes in response to different types of stimulation in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that is crucial to the formation of long-term memories, and which is the region most affected by Alzheimer’s disease). Another polyphenol, curcumin, has also been shown to have protective effects. It reduces memory deficits in animals with brain damage. It may be no coincidence that in India, where a lot of curcumin is consumed (it is the substance that makes turmeric yellow), Alzheimer’s disease is rarer than elsewhere.
Peas of mind
Though the way antioxidants work in the brain is not well known, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says it is likely they protect the synaptic membranes. Synapses are the junctions between nerve cells, and their action is central to learning and memory. But they are also, he says, the most fragile parts of the brain. And many of the nutrients associated with brain function are known to affect transmission at the synapses.
An omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for example, provides membranes at synaptic regions with “fluidity”—the capacity to transport signals. It also provides “plasticity”—a synapse’s capacity to change. Such changes are the basis of memory. Since 30% of the fatty constituents of nerve-cell membranes are DHA molecules, keeping your DHA levels topped up is part of having a healthy brain. Indeed, according to the studies reviewed by Dr Gómez-Pinilla, the benefits of omega-3s include improved learning and memory, and resistance to depression and bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, attention-deficit disorder and dyslexia.
Omega-3s are found in oily fish such as salmon, as well as in walnuts and kiwi fruit, and there is a strong negative correlation between the extent to which a country consumes fish and its levels of clinical depression. On the Japanese island of Okinawa, for example, people have a strikingly low rate of mental disorder—and Okinawans are notable fish eaters, even by the standards of a piscivorous country like Japan. In contrast, many studies suggest that diets which are rich in trans- and saturated fatty acids, such as those containing a lot of deep-fried foods and butter, have bad effects on cognition. Rodents put on such diets show declines in cognitive performance within weeks.
In the past few years, several studies have looked at the effect of adding omega-3s to people’s diets—particularly those of children. One such, carried out in the British city of Durham, was controversial in that it was funded by a maker of children’s omega-3 supplements and did not include a control group being given a placebo. Despite the publicity this study has received, Ben Goldacre, author of a book called “Bad Science” that includes an investigation of it, says the results will not be released.
Work by other researchers, however, has suggested such supplements do improve the performance and behaviour of school-age children with specific diagnoses such as dyslexia, attention-deficit disorder and developmental co-ordination disorder. Moreover, although more work is needed to elucidate the effects of omega-3s on healthy school-age children, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says that younger children whose mothers took fish-oil supplements (which contain omega-3s) when they were pregnant and while they were breast-feeding do show better cognitive performance than their unsupplemented contemporaries.
Eating well, then, is one key to a healthy brain. But a word of warning—do not overeat. This puts oxidative stress on the brain and risks undoing all the good work those antioxidants have been up to. For those who would like a little practical guidance, The Economist has some suggestions for dinner (see menu). So why not put the Nintendo brain trainer away tonight, and eat your way to intelligence instead?
Food for thought
Jul 17th 2008
From The Economist print edition
CHILDREN have a lot to contend with these days, not least a tendency for their pushy parents to force-feed them omega-3 oils at every opportunity. These are supposed to make children brainier, so they are being added to everything from bread, milk and pasta to baby formula and vitamin tablets. But omega-3 is just the tip of the nutritional iceberg; many nutrients have proven cognitive effects, and do so throughout a person’s life, not merely when he is a child.
Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a fish-loving professor of neurosurgery and physiological science at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that appropriate changes to a person’s diet can enhance his cognitive abilities, protect his brain from damage and counteract the effects of ageing. Dr Gómez-Pinilla has been studying the effects of food on the brain for years, and has now completed a review, just published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, that has analysed more than 160 studies of food’s effect on the brain. Some foods, he concludes, are like pharmaceutical compounds; their effects are so profound that the mental health of entire countries may be linked to them.
Last year, for example, the Lancet published research showing that folic-acid supplements—sometimes taken by pregnant women—can help those between 50 and 70 years old ward off the cognitive decline that accompanies ageing. In a study lasting three years, Jane Durga, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and her colleagues found that people taking such supplements did better on measures of memory, information-processing speed and verbal fluency. That, plus evidence that folate deficiency is associated with clinical depression, suggests eating spinach, orange juice and Marmite, which are all rich in folic acid.
Another suggestion from Dr Gómez-Pinilla’s review is that people should eat more antioxidants. That idea is not new. Antioxidants are reckoned by many to protect against the general effects of ageing. Vitamin E, for example, which is found in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy vegetables, has been linked (in mice) with the retention of memory into old age, and also with longer life.
Dr Gómez-Pinilla, however, gives the antioxidant story a particular twist. The brain, he observes, is peculiarly susceptible to oxidative damage. It consumes a lot of energy, and the reactions that release this energy also generate oxidising chemicals. Moreover, brain tissue contains a great deal of oxidisable material, particularly in the fatty membranes surrounding nerve cells.
That suggests, among other things, the value of a diet rich in berries. These have been shown to have strong antioxidant effects, though only a small number of their constituents have been evaluated in detail. One group that has been evaluated, the polyphenols, has been shown in rodents to reduce oxidative damage and to boost the ability to learn and retain memories. In particular, these chemicals affect changes in response to different types of stimulation in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that is crucial to the formation of long-term memories, and which is the region most affected by Alzheimer’s disease). Another polyphenol, curcumin, has also been shown to have protective effects. It reduces memory deficits in animals with brain damage. It may be no coincidence that in India, where a lot of curcumin is consumed (it is the substance that makes turmeric yellow), Alzheimer’s disease is rarer than elsewhere.
Peas of mind
Though the way antioxidants work in the brain is not well known, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says it is likely they protect the synaptic membranes. Synapses are the junctions between nerve cells, and their action is central to learning and memory. But they are also, he says, the most fragile parts of the brain. And many of the nutrients associated with brain function are known to affect transmission at the synapses.
An omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for example, provides membranes at synaptic regions with “fluidity”—the capacity to transport signals. It also provides “plasticity”—a synapse’s capacity to change. Such changes are the basis of memory. Since 30% of the fatty constituents of nerve-cell membranes are DHA molecules, keeping your DHA levels topped up is part of having a healthy brain. Indeed, according to the studies reviewed by Dr Gómez-Pinilla, the benefits of omega-3s include improved learning and memory, and resistance to depression and bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, attention-deficit disorder and dyslexia.
Omega-3s are found in oily fish such as salmon, as well as in walnuts and kiwi fruit, and there is a strong negative correlation between the extent to which a country consumes fish and its levels of clinical depression. On the Japanese island of Okinawa, for example, people have a strikingly low rate of mental disorder—and Okinawans are notable fish eaters, even by the standards of a piscivorous country like Japan. In contrast, many studies suggest that diets which are rich in trans- and saturated fatty acids, such as those containing a lot of deep-fried foods and butter, have bad effects on cognition. Rodents put on such diets show declines in cognitive performance within weeks.
In the past few years, several studies have looked at the effect of adding omega-3s to people’s diets—particularly those of children. One such, carried out in the British city of Durham, was controversial in that it was funded by a maker of children’s omega-3 supplements and did not include a control group being given a placebo. Despite the publicity this study has received, Ben Goldacre, author of a book called “Bad Science” that includes an investigation of it, says the results will not be released.
Work by other researchers, however, has suggested such supplements do improve the performance and behaviour of school-age children with specific diagnoses such as dyslexia, attention-deficit disorder and developmental co-ordination disorder. Moreover, although more work is needed to elucidate the effects of omega-3s on healthy school-age children, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says that younger children whose mothers took fish-oil supplements (which contain omega-3s) when they were pregnant and while they were breast-feeding do show better cognitive performance than their unsupplemented contemporaries.
Eating well, then, is one key to a healthy brain. But a word of warning—do not overeat. This puts oxidative stress on the brain and risks undoing all the good work those antioxidants have been up to. For those who would like a little practical guidance, The Economist has some suggestions for dinner (see menu). So why not put the Nintendo brain trainer away tonight, and eat your way to intelligence instead?
Friday, July 4, 2008
The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
June 30, 2008, 8:50 am
From the New York Times
Maybe you should be eating more beets, left, or chopped cabbage. (Credit: Evan Sung for The New York Times)
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t.
But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores.
I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
From the New York Times
Maybe you should be eating more beets, left, or chopped cabbage. (Credit: Evan Sung for The New York Times)Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t.
But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores.
I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.
In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Discovery News - Health Food
Pink Grapefruit Juice Most Nutritious
Jennifer Viegas,
Discovery News
May 29, 2007 — Pink grapefruit juice provides more nutrients per calorie than any other 100 percent fruit juice, according to a new study that analyzed several juices commonly found in major U.S. markets.
The pucker-inducing pink drink just edged out orange juice, which also ranked high, but soundly beat white grapefruit, pineapple, prune, grape and apple juices, which rated in that order, with non-citrus juices like apple falling behind high vitamin C content varieties.
Author Gail Rampersaud, a researcher at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida, told Discovery News that pink grapefruit juice "is an excellent source of vitamin C," providing an entire day’s recommended amount in a single 8-ounce glass.
"It also provides potassium, folate, thiamin and magnesium, as well as certain carotenoids that can be converted into vitamin A in the body," she added. "Pigmented grapefruit juices, such as pink or ruby, also contain lycopene, a carotenoid that gives pigmented grapefruit its rich color."
Carotenoids are color-giving substances found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. They are also present in dark green leafy veggies. Prior studies suggest these compounds may help to prevent cancer and other diseases.
For the recent research, Rampersaud focused only on common 100 percent fruit juices. This left out tomato juice, which is primarily marketed as a vegetable juice, and cranberry juice, which most often is sold as cranberry juice "cocktail," with less than 30 percent actual cranberry juice or within a blend of other juices.
Pomegranate, blueberry, cherry and other rich juices also usually come in blends, so they were eliminated for the same reason.
She used six different methods to calculate each juice’s nutrient density, which is defined as either nutrients provided per calorie or the ratio of the amount of a nutrient in foods to the energy provided by these same foods.
One method, for example, involved calculating the average recommended daily value amount for certain known nutrients based on 2,000 kilocalories, or units used to express the energy-producing potential of food. Nutrients included proteins, fats, sugars, numerous vitamins and minerals and other components.
Findings are published in the current issue of the Journal of Food Science.Rampersaud explained that citrus juices ranked high "because they generally have higher amounts of a wider variety of nutrients compared to the other juices included in the analysis, coupled with the fact that the citrus juices are lower in calories."
In recent years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has urged consumers to focus on nutrient dense foods and beverages to avoid excess calorie intake.
Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, has conducted several related studies.
He told Discovery News that Rampersaud did "a very impressive job."
Drewnowski added, however, that current nutrient density methodologies do not allow for inclusion of phytochemicals and antioxidants, which are substances that, like carotenoids, may also end health benefits.
Earlier studies have found that very dark juices like pomegranate and blueberry, even in blends, provide high amounts of these compounds.
A food to wash down with all of that juice might be spinach, which Drwenowski said is "the most nutrient dense food," along with broccoli and red peppers, which also provide substantial nutritional bang per calorie buck.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Quien lo diría!
El banano: fruta maravillosa!
Recibido de Arturo Angel
El banano contiene tres tipos de azúcar diferentes: sacarosa, fructuosa y glucosa, además de una buena cantidad de fibra. Es por eso que el banano nos provee con una buena dosis de energía. Las investigaciones demuestran que 2 bananos nos suplen con la energía necesaria para resistir 90 minutos de ejercicios. Por eso los bananos son la fruta preferida de todos los grandes atletas.Pero energía no es lo único que nos ofrece el banano. También ayuda a curar y a prevenir un sinnúmero de enfermedades lo cual lo hace indispensable en cualquier dieta. Veamos:
Depresión: es un hecho que casi todo el mundo se siente mucho mejor después de comerse un banano. Esto es debido a que ellos contienen tryptophan, un tipo de proteína que el cuerpo convierte fácilmente en serotonina, sustancia bien conocida por sus propiedades relajantes y su capacidad de aumentar el buen ánimo.
Síndrome pre-menstrual: la vitamina B6 que contiene el banano regula los niveles de glucosa en la sangre, mejorando por consiguiente el estado de ánimo.
Anemia: por su alto contenido de hierro el banano puede estimular la producción de hemoglobina.
Tensión arterial: por ser elevado su contenido de potasio y bajo su contenido de sal, el banano es un perfecto regulador de la tensión sanguínea. Tanto es así que la FDA le permite a los industriales del banano que presenten a éste como un producto capaz de reducir el riesgo de hipertensión y sus secuelas, como derrames cerebrales, etc.
Potencia cerebral: es bien conocido el efecto sobre el cerebro de estudiantes en período de exámenes que se someten a una dieta controlada de bananos. La investigación muestra que el potasio ayuda en los procesos de aprendizaje.
Estreñimiento: Por ser alto en fibra el banano ayuda a restablecer la acción normal del intestino sin necesidad de recurrir a laxantes.
Guayabos: Una de las formas más eficaces y rápidas de curar un guayabo es tomando sorbete de banano, preparado con leche y endulzado con miel de abejas. El banano calma el estómago y, con la ayuda de la miel, aumenta los niveles de azúcar en la sangre, al tiempo que la leche aplaca y rehidrata todo el sistema.
Acidez gástrica: el banano tiene un efecto antiácido natural y es altamente recomendado en casos de gastritis.
Náusea matutina (en mujeres embarazadas): comer bananos entre comidas ayuda a mantener los niveles de azúcar en la sangre evitando de esa manera las náuseas matinales.
Picaduras de mosquitos: antes de recurrir a los repelentes en barra o en aerosol trate de frotar la piel con la parte interna de la cáscara del banano. Mucha gente encuentra esto sorprendentemente útil para reducir las ronchas y la irritación.
Nervios: El banano es rico en vitamina B que ayuda a calmar el sistema nervioso.
Sobrepeso: La presión a la que uno se somete en el trabajo conduce por lo general a una necesidad de comer cosas tales como barras de chocolate, papas fritas, chips de queso, etc. Para evitar estos comportamientos los expertos sugieren controlar los niveles de azúcar en la sangre comiendo banano cada 2 horas.
Úlceras: El banano se recomienda como ingrediente importante de toda dieta que tenga que ver con desórdenes intestinales debido a su textura y suavidad. Es la única fruta que se puede comer sin temor a sobrepasarse. También se sabe que neutraliza la acidez estomacal y reduce la irritación al recubrir la pared interna del estómago.
Control de temperatura: muchas culturas alrededor del mundo consideran al banano como una fruta refrescante que puede disminuir tanto la temperatura física como la emocional. En Tailandia, por ejemplo, es costumbre que las mujeres en embarazo coman banano para que su hijo se desarrolle a temperaturas moderadas.
Fumadores: El banano puede ayudar a la gente que está tratando de dejar el cigarrillo. Las vitaminas B6 y B12 que contiene, junto con el potasio y el magnesio, ayudan a controlar el síndrome de abstinencia.
Estrés: El potasio es un mineral vital que ayuda a normalizar los latidos del corazón, ayudando a regular la cantidad de oxígeno que le llega al cerebro y el balance del agua corporal. Cuando estamos estresados el metabolismo aumenta y el potasio disminuye, lo cual se puede controlar al ingerir uno que otro banano.
Ataques al corazón: De acuerdo con muchos investigadores el consumo regular de banano puede ayudar a reducir el riesgo de ataques al corazón hasta en un 40%.
Verrugas: Son muchos los que aseguran que las verrugas se pueden combatir con cáscara de banano, aplicada con la ayuda de un esparadrapo con la parte amarilla hacia afuera.
Así pues y así como lo oye: el banano es un remedio natural contra muchas enfermedades. Y comparado, por ejemplo, con la manzana, contiene 4 veces más proteína, 2 veces más carbohidrato, 3 veces más fósforo, 5 veces más hierro y vitamina A y 2 veces más de otras vitaminas y minerales.
También es rico en potasio y sirve hasta para lustrar zapatos! Frote la parte de adentro de la cáscara sobre el calzado. Sáquele brillo con un trapo seco.
Pues sí que el banano es una fruta bien maravillosa!
Recibido de Arturo Angel
El banano contiene tres tipos de azúcar diferentes: sacarosa, fructuosa y glucosa, además de una buena cantidad de fibra. Es por eso que el banano nos provee con una buena dosis de energía. Las investigaciones demuestran que 2 bananos nos suplen con la energía necesaria para resistir 90 minutos de ejercicios. Por eso los bananos son la fruta preferida de todos los grandes atletas.Pero energía no es lo único que nos ofrece el banano. También ayuda a curar y a prevenir un sinnúmero de enfermedades lo cual lo hace indispensable en cualquier dieta. Veamos:
Depresión: es un hecho que casi todo el mundo se siente mucho mejor después de comerse un banano. Esto es debido a que ellos contienen tryptophan, un tipo de proteína que el cuerpo convierte fácilmente en serotonina, sustancia bien conocida por sus propiedades relajantes y su capacidad de aumentar el buen ánimo.
Síndrome pre-menstrual: la vitamina B6 que contiene el banano regula los niveles de glucosa en la sangre, mejorando por consiguiente el estado de ánimo.
Anemia: por su alto contenido de hierro el banano puede estimular la producción de hemoglobina.
Tensión arterial: por ser elevado su contenido de potasio y bajo su contenido de sal, el banano es un perfecto regulador de la tensión sanguínea. Tanto es así que la FDA le permite a los industriales del banano que presenten a éste como un producto capaz de reducir el riesgo de hipertensión y sus secuelas, como derrames cerebrales, etc.
Potencia cerebral: es bien conocido el efecto sobre el cerebro de estudiantes en período de exámenes que se someten a una dieta controlada de bananos. La investigación muestra que el potasio ayuda en los procesos de aprendizaje.
Estreñimiento: Por ser alto en fibra el banano ayuda a restablecer la acción normal del intestino sin necesidad de recurrir a laxantes.
Guayabos: Una de las formas más eficaces y rápidas de curar un guayabo es tomando sorbete de banano, preparado con leche y endulzado con miel de abejas. El banano calma el estómago y, con la ayuda de la miel, aumenta los niveles de azúcar en la sangre, al tiempo que la leche aplaca y rehidrata todo el sistema.
Acidez gástrica: el banano tiene un efecto antiácido natural y es altamente recomendado en casos de gastritis.
Náusea matutina (en mujeres embarazadas): comer bananos entre comidas ayuda a mantener los niveles de azúcar en la sangre evitando de esa manera las náuseas matinales.
Picaduras de mosquitos: antes de recurrir a los repelentes en barra o en aerosol trate de frotar la piel con la parte interna de la cáscara del banano. Mucha gente encuentra esto sorprendentemente útil para reducir las ronchas y la irritación.
Nervios: El banano es rico en vitamina B que ayuda a calmar el sistema nervioso.
Sobrepeso: La presión a la que uno se somete en el trabajo conduce por lo general a una necesidad de comer cosas tales como barras de chocolate, papas fritas, chips de queso, etc. Para evitar estos comportamientos los expertos sugieren controlar los niveles de azúcar en la sangre comiendo banano cada 2 horas.
Úlceras: El banano se recomienda como ingrediente importante de toda dieta que tenga que ver con desórdenes intestinales debido a su textura y suavidad. Es la única fruta que se puede comer sin temor a sobrepasarse. También se sabe que neutraliza la acidez estomacal y reduce la irritación al recubrir la pared interna del estómago.
Control de temperatura: muchas culturas alrededor del mundo consideran al banano como una fruta refrescante que puede disminuir tanto la temperatura física como la emocional. En Tailandia, por ejemplo, es costumbre que las mujeres en embarazo coman banano para que su hijo se desarrolle a temperaturas moderadas.
Fumadores: El banano puede ayudar a la gente que está tratando de dejar el cigarrillo. Las vitaminas B6 y B12 que contiene, junto con el potasio y el magnesio, ayudan a controlar el síndrome de abstinencia.
Estrés: El potasio es un mineral vital que ayuda a normalizar los latidos del corazón, ayudando a regular la cantidad de oxígeno que le llega al cerebro y el balance del agua corporal. Cuando estamos estresados el metabolismo aumenta y el potasio disminuye, lo cual se puede controlar al ingerir uno que otro banano.
Ataques al corazón: De acuerdo con muchos investigadores el consumo regular de banano puede ayudar a reducir el riesgo de ataques al corazón hasta en un 40%.
Verrugas: Son muchos los que aseguran que las verrugas se pueden combatir con cáscara de banano, aplicada con la ayuda de un esparadrapo con la parte amarilla hacia afuera.
Así pues y así como lo oye: el banano es un remedio natural contra muchas enfermedades. Y comparado, por ejemplo, con la manzana, contiene 4 veces más proteína, 2 veces más carbohidrato, 3 veces más fósforo, 5 veces más hierro y vitamina A y 2 veces más de otras vitaminas y minerales.
También es rico en potasio y sirve hasta para lustrar zapatos! Frote la parte de adentro de la cáscara sobre el calzado. Sáquele brillo con un trapo seco.
Pues sí que el banano es una fruta bien maravillosa!
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