Category Archives: cancer

The new dietary guidelines, a major improvement

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The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) represent a major improvement over previous guidelines. The storm of criticism registered by some “experts” and quoted by the media is NOT based on valid evidence. There has been excessive and irrational criticism over inverting the food pyramid, with animal sources of protein on the top. Until now recommendations for daily protein intake have been based upon estimates to avoid protein deficiency rather than optimization. The recommendations for 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram bodyweight per day (up from 0.8 g/kg/day) is supported by data on muscle building, muscle maintenance and bone health (when combined with resistance exercise), especially for elderly individuals.

 Unfortunately, the 10% restriction on saturated fat remains, but the guidelines appropriately state that there is a lack of evidence to keep that restriction at 10% of caloric intake. The controversy over saturated fat remains despite meta-analyses of randomized controlled clinical trials that conclude that restriction of saturated fat has not been found to improve cardiovascular, metabolic, or cancer outcomes.

I doubt that those critical of the new DGA have read the 416-page appendices that document scientific references and explanations for each of the dietary recommendations. That’s right, 416 pages of narrative and scientific references are in the appendices of the DGA.

If you go here, you can download 4 documents including the Scientific Foundation Appendices (416 pages), the Scientific Foundation for DGA (90 pages), The Daily Servings Guide (3 pages) and the DGA (10 pages)

Here is an excerpt that is very useful.

How can you identify highly processed foods? Highly processed foods tend to have: 1. Refined grains and/or added sugars 2. Refined fats and oils 3. Long, complicated ingredient lists including chemical additives (e.g., artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and emulsifiers). Examples are provided in Figures 4.3 and 5.8.

And a good explanation for why refined grains (any food made with flour) causes rapid and high blood sugar responses.

Refined Grains and Starches are Sugar • Refined grains are highly purified sources of starch. • Starches are long chains of glucose—a form of sugar. • During chewing and digestion, enzymes rapidly break down starch into glucose, raising blood sugar much like table sugar does. • Refined grain foods—white bread, crackers, breakfast cereals, chips, pastries, and pasta—can therefore act metabolically like sugar, delivering fast-absorbing carbohydrates with few nutrients or fiber to slow absorption. Take-home message: Refined grains are sugar in disguise. Choose whole grains, beans, or vegetables instead.

The following two graphics demonstrate the results of previous dietary guidelines that demonized healthy fats and animal sources of protein. The first shows the rise in obesity and diabetes but does not address the insulin resistance that evolves over decades before crossing the arbitrary threshold of diabetes, wreaking metabolic havoc long before diabetes occurs. The second graphic reveals how Americans consume 60% or more caloric intake in the form of refined carbohydrates (equivalent to sugar)

The following graphic displays the difference between minimally processed, moderately processed and highly processed foods according to the NOVA classification system (a system I will discuss and criticize in future posts). For now, suffice it to say that a simpler and more practical definition of “processed food” would include any food with one or more of the following: added sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined starch especially flour made from grains, refined “vegetable” oils, emulsifiers, artificial coloring, preservatives, and other additives found to disrupt the microbiome, intestinal barrier function or cause cancer. This graphic importantly covers the issue of food packaging which can contribute to the consumption of micro plastics, phthalates and PFAs

I have consistently advocated for a diet that consists of free-range meat, poultry, eggs, seafood (low mercury varieties), organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, an ancestral or paleo diet. The new DGA go a long way to produce evidence-based recommendations to help Americans eat healthy food. I continue to advocate for getting fiber from vegetables and fruits, eliminating grains, for reasons previously discussed but if you want to eat grains and are not gluten sensitive or suffer from celiac disease, consume the grains as a whole food, not in a food made from flour. “Whole grain bread” is not a whole grain food, nor is “whole grain” pasta. Once flour is made from grains the cellular components are destroyed producing a product with a glycemic index akin to sugar with the resultant metabolic disturbance which over the long run leads to insulin resistance, obesity and chronic disease.

If you want to consume dairy it makes much more sense to consume full fat fermented dairy foods instead of the low-fat dairy products advocated by prior DGA. The new DGA go into great detail to describe the nutrient deficiencies associated with vegan and vegetarian diets unless specific supplements are consumed. Specific recommendations for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers cover most important points as do age specific recommendations for infants and children. The importance of choline could have received a little more attention (best sources include eggs and liver). The importance of marine omega-3 fats (EPA, DHA, DPA) received adequate attention.

Overall, I consider the 2026 DGA a major improvement compared to previous iterations which ignored a large body of nutritional science.

The following references support my position on SFA and properly raised and prepared animal protein.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32562735/

Astrup A, Magkos F, Bier DM, Brenna JT, de Oliveira Otto MC, Hill JO, King JC, Mente A, Ordovas JM, Volek JS, Yusuf S, Krauss RM. Saturated Fats and Health: A Reassessment and Proposal for Food-Based Recommendations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Aug 18;76(7):844-857. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.077. Epub 2020 Jun 17. PMID: 32562735.

Reimara Valk, James Hammill, Jonas Grip, Saturated fat: villain and bogeyman in the development of cardiovascular disease?, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Volume 29, Issue 18, December 2022, Pages 2312–2321, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac194

Associations of fats and carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 18 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study Dehghan, MahshidDiaz, R et al. The Lancet, Volume 390, Issue 10107, 2050 – 2062

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36216940/

Lescinsky H, Afshin A, Ashbaugh C, Bisignano C, Brauer M, Ferrara G, Hay SI, He J, Iannucci V, Marczak LB, McLaughlin SA, Mullany EC, Parent MC, Serfes AL, Sorensen RJD, Aravkin AY, Zheng P, Murray CJL. Health effects associated with consumption of unprocessed red meat: a Burden of Proof study. Nat Med. 2022 Oct;28(10):2075-2082. doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-01968-z. Epub 2022 Oct 10. PMID: 36216940; PMCID: PMC9556326.

Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis Renata Micha1, Sarah K Wallace, Dariush Mozaffarian, Circulation CIRCULATIONAHA.109.924977. Epub 2010 May 17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20479151/

Unprocessed Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption: Dietary Guideline Recommendations from the Nutritional Recommendations (NutriRECS) Consortium Bradley C. Johnston, PhD, Dena Zeraatkar, Msc, et. al. Ann Intern Med 2019: 1:756-764 doi: 10.7326/M19-1621

Reduction of Red and Processed Meat Intake and Cancer Mortality and Incidence A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies Mi Ah Han, MD, PhD; Dena Zeraatkar, MSc; et. al., Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:711-720. doi:10.7326/M19-0699

Patterns of Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk for Cardiometabolic and Cancer Outcomes A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies Robin W.M. Vernooij, PhD*; Dena Zeraatkar, MSc Ann Intern Med.2019;171:732-741. doi:10.7326/M19-1583

Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk for All-Cause Mortality and Cardiometabolic OutcomesA Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies Dena Zeraatkar, MSc, Mi Ah Han MD, PhD, et. al, Annals of Internal Medicine 1 October 2019: 171-710 doi: 10.7326/M19-0655

Effect of Lower Versus Higher Red Meat Intake on Cardiometabolic and Cancer Outcomes

A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials Dena Zeraatkar, MSc, Bradley C Johnston, PhD, et. al. Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:721-731. doi:10.7326/M19-https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-0622

E, Lavie CJ, Hill JO. The Failure to Measure Dietary Intake Engendered a Fictional Discourse on Diet-Disease Relations. Front Nutr. 2018 Nov 13;5:105. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2018.00105. PMID: 30483510 Archer; PMCID: PMC6243202.

Archer E, Hand GA, Blair SN (2013) Validity of U.S. Nutritional Surveillance: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Caloric Energy Intake Data, 1971–2010. PLoS ONE 8(10): e76632. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076632

O’Connor, Lauren E., et al. “Effects of total red meat intake on glycemic control and inflammatory biomarkers: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Advances in Nutrition 12.1 (2021): 115-127.

Kiani AK, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Connelly ST, Bellinato F, Gisondi P, Bertelli M. Main nutritional deficiencies. J Prev Med Hyg 2022;63(suppl.3):E93-E101.https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2752

Bailey RL, West KP Jr, Black RE. The epidemiology of global micronutrient deficiencies. Ann Nutr Metab. 2015;66 Suppl 2:22-33. doi: 10.1159/000371618. Epub 2015 Jun 2. PMID: 26045325.

Global, regional and national burdens of common micronutrient deficiencies from 1990 to 2019: A secondary trend analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. Zu Han et. al., eClinicalMedicine, February 11, 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101299

Sean R. Lynch, Why Nutritional Iron Deficiency Persists as a Worldwide Problem, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 141, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 763S–768S, https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.130609

Meat supplementation improves growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in Kenyan children , J Nutr. 2007 Apr;137(4):1119-23.

Animal source foods have a positive impact on the primary school test scores of Kenyan schoolchildren in a cluster-randomised, controlled feeding intervention trial – PubMed (nih.gov), Hulett JL, Weiss RE, Bwibo NO, Galal OM, Drorbaugh N, Neumann CG.Br J Nutr. 2014 Mar 14;111(5):875-86. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513003310. Epub 2013 Oct 30.PMID: 24168874 Clinical Trial.

Meat supplementation increases arm muscle area in Kenyan schoolchildren – PubMed (nih.gov), Br J Nutr. 2013 Apr 14;109(7):1230-40. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512003121. Epub 2012 Aug 2.PMID: 22856533 Clinical Trial.

School snacks decrease morbidity in Kenyan schoolchildren: a cluster randomized, controlled feeding intervention trial.

Neumann CG, Bwibo NO, Jiang L, Weiss RE.Public Health Nutr. 2013 Sep;16(9):1593-604. doi: 10.1017/S1368980013000876. Epub 2013 Mar 28.PMID: 23537728

Effects of animal source foods, with emphasis on milk, in the diet of children in low-income countries.

Allen LH, Dror DK.Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2011;67:113-30. doi: 10.1159/000325579. Epub 2011 Feb 16.PMID: 21335994

https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h4962

The scientific report guiding the US dietary guidelines: is it scientific?

BMJ 2015; 351 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h4962 (Published 23 September 2015)

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9794145/

Teicholz N. A short history of saturated fat: the making and unmaking of a scientific consensus. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2023 Feb 1;30(1):65-71. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000791. Epub 2022 Dec 8. Erratum in: Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2025 Aug 1;32(4):166. doi: 10.1097/01.med.0001118356.22843.75. PMID: 36477384; PMCID: PMC9794145.

THIS WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Eat clean, drink filtered water, love, laugh, exercise outdoors in a greenspace, get some morning sunlight, block the blue light before bed, engage in meaningful work, find a sense of purpose, spend time with those you love, AND sleep well tonight.

Doctor Bob

3 Respiratory Viruses Threaten World Health this winter

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Winter approaches with a perfect storm of 3 respiratory viruses, increased indoor activity, dry spaces, and holiday gatherings. The 3 viruses already filling many hospitals (including children’s hospitals) include RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2.

Respiratory viruses spread by aerosol typically enter through the nose and throat. Dry nasal and oral-pharyngeal mucosa (the lining of the nose and throat) presents an ideal incubator for respiratory viruses. With winter comes drier indoor environments created by heating systems.

A recently published study concluded:

Indoor conditions, particularly indoor RH (relative humidity) modulate the spread and severity of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The sweet spot was between 40% and 60% humidity to minimize spread and severity of infection.

Here is a picture of the temperature and humidity monitor in my home office.

Note that while outdoor humidity is 55%, indoor humidity is only 34%, short of the “ideal” range for decreased viral transmission and severity. We have a humidifier in our bedroom where the RH is higher.

In addition to a bedroom humidifier we have several HEPA filters dispersed throughout the house. HEPA filters can decrease aerosol (viral load) by 80% or more as can the homemade Corsi-Rosenthal box. HEPA filters and the Corsi-Rosenthal Box also significantly reduce indoor air pollution, potentially protecting us from not only respiratory disease but also heart attacks, strokes, dementia and cancer.

As the winter approaches consider protecting your family and friends from RSV, Influenza, and COVID-19 by utilizing a humidifier and free standing HEPA filters. Improving indoor air quality will have many health benefits.

In the context of the COVID 19 pandemic I will close with the usual summary.

  1. Avoid alcohol consumption (alcohol wreaks havoc with your immunity)
  2. Get plenty of sleep (without adequate sleep your immune system does not work well )
  3. Follow good sleep habits
  4. Exercise, especially out of doors in a green space, supports the immune system
  5. Get some sunshine and make sure you have adequate Vitamin D levels. Supplement with Vitamin D3 to get your levels above 30 ng/ml, >40ng/ml arguably better.
  6. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in micronutrients.
  7. Practice stress reduction like meditation and yoga which improves the immune system
  8. Eliminate sugar-added foods and beverages from your diet. These increase inflammation, cause metabolic dysfunction, and suppress immunity.
  9. Eliminate refined-inflammatory “vegetable oils” from your diet, instead eat healthy fat.
  10. Clean up your home environment and minimize your family’s exposure to environmental toxins by following recommendations at EWG.org with regards to household products, personal care products, and organic foods. (https://www.ewg.org/)
  11. Drink water filtered through a high quality system that eliminates most environmental toxins. (Such as a Berkey or reverse osmosis filter)
  12. HEPA filters or the home-made version (Corsi-Rosenthal box) used in your home or workplace can reduce circulating viral load by 80%. This works for any respiratory virus transmitted by aerosol and this winter we have the triple threat of RSV, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. It also decreases indoor air pollution.
  13. If you are eligible for vaccination, consider protecting yourself and your neighbor with a few jabs. Age > 50 and/or risk factors (Diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, heart disease, COPD, asthma, cancer treatment, immune suppression) suggests benefit from a booster. Risk for complications of boosters in adolescents, especially males, without risk factors, may equal benefit. Previous infection with Covid can be considered as protective as a booster. Discuss risk vs benefits with your doctor.

THIS WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Eat clean, drink filtered water, love, laugh, exercise outdoors in a greenspace, get some morning sunlight, block the blue light before bed, engage in meaningful work, find a sense of purpose, spend time with those you love, AND sleep well tonight.

Doctor Bob

Red Meat: Good or Bad?

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There remains a strong bias against the consumption of red meat in published dietary guidelines. The evidence supporting claims of increased risk of cancer or heart disease remains very weak and suggests at most a 1% absolute risk increase based on very weak evidence. Significant factors are almost universally ignored in the analysis. These include:

1. Use of hormones in raising animals

2. Grass fed and grass finished vs grain fed- feedlot fattened animals

3. Use of antibiotics

4. Methods of cooking

5. Processed-refined meats with added sugars/preservatives vs fresh or frozen unprocessed meats.

6. Confounding factors such as smoking, exercise, and other lifestyle factors

7. Poor accuracy of dietary questionnaires

8. Poor study design.

9. Residual pesticides in animals passed through feedlots.

These considerations are all important in determining the health benefits of consuming animal fat and protein. The 1% absolute risk increase discussed above relates to consuming meat raised in the typical US fashion. That includes the regular use of hormones, antibiotics, and feedlot conditions. Feedlot conditions dramatically change the fatty acid content of beef to a less healthy mix. I do not consume meat that passed through feedlots.

Prior to WWII, meat and poultry were raised without hormones, without antibiotics. They were pastured and free range. Ruminants ate grasses not grains, which cause gastro-intestinal problems in ruminants. Poultry ate bugs, grass, seeds in an open air environment. Crowded disease causing conditions were not prevalent in animal husbandry. Today things are different and one would be wise to make their consumption choices speak for healthier sources of animal protein and fat.

I have always advocated for avoiding animal foods raised with indiscriminate use of antibiotics and hormones, animals raised in crowded unsanitary conditions, ruminants (beef, lamb) fed grains, etc.

But beyond those considerations, unprocessed red meat provides an abundance of important nutrients vital to health.

A discussion of the bias that underlies many dietary guidelines is covered in a brief and informative video:

I have previously discussed the false narrative about environmental concerns related to beef, recommending the book and documentary by the same name, SACRED COW.

You can read that here.

Dr. Georgia Ede addresses the issue of red meat in many of her talks. Here is one.

She has also posted a discussion of brain health and animal fat.

And she has debunked the concept that meat causes cancer.

In the context of the COVID 19 pandemic I will close with the usual summary.

  1. Avoid alcohol consumption (alcohol wreaks havoc with your immunity)
  2. Get plenty of sleep (without adequate sleep your immune system does not work well )
  3. Follow good sleep habits
  4. Exercise, especially out of doors in a green space, supports the immune system
  5. Get some sunshine and make sure you have adequate Vitamin D levels. Supplement with Vitamin D3 to get your levels above 30 ng/ml. (read this Open Letter)
  6. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in micronutrients.
  7. Practice stress reduction like meditation and yoga which improves the immune system
  8. Eliminate sugar-added foods and beverages from your diet. These increase inflammation, cause metabolic dysfunction, and suppress immunity.
  9. Eliminate refined-inflammatory “vegetable oils” from your diet, instead eat healthy fat.
  10. Clean up your home environment and minimize your family’s exposure to environmental toxins by following recommendations at EWG.org with regards to household products, personal care products, and organic foods. (https://www.ewg.org/)
  11. If you are over age 12 and eligible for vaccination, consider protecting yourself and your neighbor with vaccination.

THIS WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Eat clean, drink filtered water, love, laugh, exercise outdoors in a greenspace, get some morning sunlight, block the blue light before bed, engage in meaningful work, find a sense of purpose, spend time with those you love, AND sleep well tonight.

Doctor Bob

Mushrooms, Cancer, Bees and Ecology connection

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I just watched a great talk given by mycology researcher Paul Stamets. Paul discusses the use of mushroom extracts as adjunctive treatment for various cancers. In addition he discusses his discovery that bees obtain anti-viral protection from consuming mushroom mycelia found in dead trees, providing an insight into the great threat of bee population loss. Here is the link to his talk:

Paul discusses the importance of maintaining old growth forests as a source for botanical and mushroom based medications and addresses many issues related to biodiversity and ecology.

If you like this talk you will probably enjoy the documentary Fantastic Fungi. The movie is available on Netflix and through other sources such as prime video, Hulu, apple TV and google play.

Paul also gave a TED talk:

In the context of the COVID 19 pandemic I will close with the usual summary.

  1. Avoid alcohol consumption (alcohol wreaks havoc with your immunity)
  2. Get plenty of sleep (without adequate sleep your immune system does not work well )
  3. Follow good sleep habits
  4. Exercise, especially out of doors in a green space, supports the immune system
  5. Get some sunshine and make sure you have adequate Vitamin D levels. Supplement with Vitamin D3 to get your levels above 30 ng/ml. (read this Open Letter)
  6. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in micronutrients.
  7. Practice stress reduction like meditation and yoga which improves the immune system
  8. Eliminate sugar-added foods and beverages from your diet. These increase inflammation, cause metabolic dysfunction, and suppress immunity.
  9. Eliminate refined-inflammatory “vegetable oils” from your diet, instead eat healthy fat.
  10. Clean up your home environment and minimize your family’s exposure to environmental toxins by following recommendations at EWG.org with regards to household products, personal care products, and organic foods. (https://www.ewg.org/)
  11. If you are over age 12 and eligible for vaccination, consider protecting yourself and your neighbor with vaccination.

THIS WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Eat clean, drink filtered water, love, laugh, exercise outdoors in a greenspace, get some morning sunlight, block the blue light before bed, engage in meaningful work, find a sense of purpose, spend time with those you love, AND sleep well tonight.

Doctor Bob

Chronic Inflammation, the silent killer

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I was recently interviewed by a health blogger for his podcast. The topic was chronic inflammation. Here it is.

I prepared some notes for the interview. Here are the questions and answers.

What made you so interested in the topic of chronic inflammation?

Interest in chronic inflammation:

  • Emerging evidence, source of most chronic disease including mental health (depression, etc.) is inflammation
  • family health issues experience personally
  • health care policy interest since graduate school
  •  First started to question USDA dietary advice after reading GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES, by Gary Taubes,
  • Experienced Statin myopathy, researched statin drugs, bad data, financial conflicts of interest. Sought alternative approaches to Coronary Artery Disease prevention.
  • In USA, Profit driven health care system evolved from more benign not-for-profit earlier system in medical insurance and hospital system. Drug and surgery oriented. Corporate ownership of multiple hospitals, concentration of wealth and power in the industry and in society in general
  • Saw this every day: growing obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, DMII, auto-immune disease. Root causes NOT ADDRESSED.
  • While recovering from surgery attended on line functional medicine conference on auto-immune disease, covering diet, sleep, exercise, sunshine, Vitamin D, environmental toxins, gut dysbiosis, intestinal permeability (THE GATEWAY TO AUTOIMMUNITY IS THROUGH THE GUT).
  • Introduced to EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY and Paleo Diet by my son

What diseases does chronic inflammation typically lead to? 

  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity epidemic, DIABESITY
  • Hypertension
  • Metabolic Syndrome (3/5: HTN, insulin resistance/high blood sugar, abdominal obesity, high TGs, low HDL),
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Degenerative arthritis
  • Neurodegenerative disorders (dementia, Parkinson’s, neuropathy, multiple sclerosis)
  • Works of Dale Bredesen (dementia, “The End of Alzheimer’s”), Ron Perlmutter (Grain Brain), Terry Wahls (The Wahls protocol for MS), all FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE looking at root cause of illness, common-overlapping threads.
  • Interplay between sleep, circadian rhythm, exercise, sunlight, stress, environmental toxins, diet, processed foods, nutritional deficiency, gut microbiome, endocrine disruptors, intestinal permeability, oral and skin microbiome, social disruptors, GUT BRAIN AXIS. These are all part of one large ECOSYSTEM.
  • Positive and negative feedback systems requiring a SYSTEMS ENGINEERING approach to understanding root causes.
  • Butyrate is the preferred substrate for colonocytes, providing 60-70% of the energy requirements for colonic epithelial cells1,2. Butyrate suppresses colonic inflammation,3 is immunoregulatory in the gut,4 and improves gut barrier permeability by accelerating assembly of tight junction proteins.5,6
  • Improves insulin sensitivity, increase energy expenditure, reduce adiposity, increases satiety hormones,
  • HDAC activity inhibitor, PROTECTS GENES from removal of necessary acetyl groups.
  • Butyrate also influences the mucus layer. A healthy colonic epithelium is coated in a double layer of mucus. The thick, inner layer is dense and largely devoid of microbes, protecting the epithelium from contact with commensals and pathogens alike. The loose, outer layer of mucus is home to many bacteria, some of which feed on the glycoproteins of the outer mucus layer itself. Both of these mucus layers are organized by the MUC2 mucin protein, which is secreted by goblet cells in the epithelium. Supplementation of physiological concentrations of butyrate has been shown to increase MUC2 gene expression and MUC2 secretion in a human goblet cell line.7,8

What are the population groups which have higher risk of chronic inflammation? 

  • Obese
  • Sedentary
  • Poor-urban-polluted environment dwelling (air, water, noise, crowding, violence, racism, oppression)
  • Divergence from ancestral evolutionary biology
  • Working environment: indoors, polluted, oppressive supervisors, no sunlight, noise pollution, air pollution, toxic social situations, repetitive motion, bad ergonomics,
  • night shift, disruption of circadian rhythm
  • both parents working, no time for real food and family interaction, supervision of children.
  • screen time- sedentary behavior, lack of outdoor activity
  • Stress of social inequality, food insecurity, violent neighborhoods, nutritional deserts

What are the “danger signs” or typical symptoms which may signal a chronic inflammation? 

DANGER SIGNS:

  • Waistline (waist to height ratio, BMI)
  • Sarcopenia (muscle as an endocrine organ)
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Pain
  • Headaches
  • Depression
  • Lack of joy.
  • Brain fog, fatigue

What are the typical biomarkers of chronic inflammation?

  • METABOLIC SYNDROME (3 or more of the following: high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, elevated Triglycerides, low HDL, obesity)
  • CRP predictive of cardiovascular events,
  • ESR associated with arthritis
  • Stress hormones (morning cortisol levels)
  • Resting Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability

What are the typical sources of systemic chronic inflammation?

Sources of Chronic Inflammation:

Diet

  • N6/N3 FA ratio determined by too much Refined Easily Oxidized Vegetable Oils, not enough marine sources of N3 FA,  grain fed vs grass fed/finished ruminant meat. Loren Cordain research wild game FA composition = grass fed. Margarine vs Butter. Fried foods using Vegetable oils. Oxidized fats/oils, oxy-sterols in diet.
  • Sugar excess leading to insulin resistance
  • Refined carbs leading to insulin resistance (dense acellular….)
  • Disturbance of gut  microbiome from poor nutrition (sugar, refined carbs and vegetable oils all disrupt the microbiome)
  • Gut brain axis.
  • Food ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES
  • Trans Fats (finally banned)

Endocrine disruptors/ BIOACCUMULATION

  • Plastics (microparticles in our fish, food and bottled water)
  • Plastic breakdown products
  • Phthalates added to plastics to increase flexibility ( also pill coatings, binders, dispersants, film formers, personal care products, perfumes, detergents, surfactants, packaging, children’s toys, shower curtains, floor tiles, vinyl upholstery, it is everywhere) 8.4 million tons of plasticizers produced annually. EWG.org
  • Pesticides, herbicides, glyphosate (Monsanto), DIRTY DOZEN, CLEAN FIFTEEN EWG.org
  • Medications
  • ABSORBED skin, eat, drink, breath,
  • BPS is as bad as the BPA it replaced
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls used in INDUSTRIAL COOLANTS AND LUBRICANTS
  • Flame retardants (PBDEs, polybrominated dipheyl ethers) are ubiquitous in furniture and children’s clothing. Also linked to autoimmune disease
  • Dioxins
  • PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Sunblock
  • CUMULATIVE BURDEN, INTERACTIONS, SYNERGY?

SLEEP DEPRIVATION CHRONIC IN OUR SOCIETY

Eating late vs time restricted eating

Gut Microbiome disrupted by

  • 1/3 of prescribed medications disrupt the microbiome AND increase intestinal permeability
  • Stress
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Sugar
  • Refined carbs
  • Refined veg oils
  • Over exercise and Under exercise, both are bad.
  • Environmental toxins

Gut dysbiosis and infections include (often chronic, low grade, not diagnosed)

  • Pathogenic bacteria, infection or overgrowth/imbalance
  • SIBO
  • Parasites
  • Viruses
  • BAD bugs > good bugs
  • Good bugs make vitamins and SCFAs required for colonocyte energy
  • Gut-Brain axis huge topic, VAGUS NERVE COMMUNICATION both ways, SCFA in gut and in CIRCULATION (butyrate, propionate, acetate), NEUROTRANSMITTER PRODUCTION (SEROTONIN, OTHERS), enterochromaffin cells producing > 30 peptides.
  • Overuse of antibiotics in medicine
  • AND use of antibiotics in raising our food.
  • Vaginal delivery vs C-section
  • Breast feeding vs bottle feeding

INCREASED INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY:

  • Caused by all factors above
  • Leads to higher levels of circulating LPS-endotoxin, bacterial products that create an immune-inflammatory response.
  • Incompletely digested proteins with AA sequences overlapping our own tissue causing autoimmunity/inflammation through molecular mimicry

Heavy Metal toxicity

  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Cadmium
  • Arsenic

MOLD TOXICITY (> 400 identified mycotoxins, can cause dementia, asthma, allergies, auto-immunity)

  • At home
  • At work

What are the most efficient natural (non-medication) ways to address chronic inflammation?

  • Anti-inflammatory Diet, real whole food that our ancestors ate through evolutionary history (grass fed/finished ruminant meat, free range poultry, antibiotic free, and pesticide free food, wild seafood (low mercury varieties), organic vegetables and fruit, nuts, fermented foods, eggs)
  • Low mercury fish and seafood for omega three fatty acids
  • Sleep hygiene
  • Exercise, not too much, not too little, rest days, out of doors, resistance training, walking, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, chi gong, dancing, PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Stress reduction: meditation, mindful living, forest bathing, sunlight, Playing, music, praying, SOCIAL CONNECTION, laughter, comedy, quit the toxic job, quit the toxic relationship, SAUNA/SWEAT, heat shock proteins, exercise
  • Vitamin D, sunshine, check levels
  • PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, LAUGH, DANCE, ENJOY, LOVE
  • Be aware of potential dangers of EMF, WiFi, hand held devices, blue tooth headphones.
  • Address environmental justice
  • Address social inequality, food insecurity
  • Tobacco addiction
  • Ethanol
  • Other substance abuse
  • Agricultural subsidies in US distort the food supply
  • Loss of soil threatens food supply
  • Suppression of science (global warming, environment, etc.,) worsens environmental degradation, creating an EXISTENTIAL THREAT.
  1. Avoid alcohol consumption (alcohol wreaks havoc with your immunity)
  2. Get plenty of sleep (without adequate sleep your immune system does not work well )
  3. Follow good sleep habits
  4. Exercise, especially out of doors in a green space, supports the immune system
  5. Get some sunshine and make sure you have adequate Vitamin D levels.
  6. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in micronutrients.
  7. Practice stress reduction like meditation and yoga which improves the immune system
  8. Eliminate sugar-added foods and beverages from your diet. These increase inflammation, cause metabolic dysfunction, and suppress immunity.
  9. Clean up your home environment and minimize your family’s exposure to environmental toxins by following recommendations at EWG.org with regards to household products, personal care products, and organic foods. (https://www.ewg.org/)

THIS WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

Eat clean, drink filtered water, love, laugh, exercise outdoors in a greenspace, get some morning sunlight, block the blue light before bed, engage in meaningful work, find a sense of purpose, spend time with those you love, AND sleep well tonight.

Doctor Bob

Sleep! You can’t live without it.

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Circadian rhythm refers to the cycling of hormones according to the time of day. Every hormone cycles with daylight and darkness, each in it’s own way. Our brain has a master clock, called the circadian clock, controlled by specialized cells deep in the brain. There is a direct connection from our retina (in the back of the eyes) to the circadian clock in the brain. Blue light (part of the normal outdoor spectrum of light) stimulates very specific receptor cells in the retina which in turn communicates directly with the circadian clock telling the brain whether it is day or night. To synchronize our hormones and achieve restorative sleep, we must get outdoor light exposure to our eyes (without sunglasses, early in the day) and limit light exposure in the evening.

Artificial light, especially from cell phones and other devices that emit intense blue light, shift work, late night social activity, poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle and at the opposite extreme, late evening workouts,  can all disrupt our circadian rhythm preventing adequate restorative sleep. A rare genetic illness called fatal insomnia that strikes adults at middle age prevents sleep and results in death within a few months, highlighting the importance of sleep. Sleep deprivation can kill a human quicker than starvation! Adequate amounts of deep non-REM sleep are required for tissue regeneration, healing, DNA repair and immune function. REM sleep with dreaming provides great benefit by organizing our memory, discharging the emotional content of traumatic events, and facilitating creative brain activity. One night of short-sleep produces a state of inattention and slow reflexes as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol intoxication. Chronic  short sleep and disrupted circadian rhythm results in increased risk of depression, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, dementia, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, heart attack and stroke, to name a few. Sleep interruption immediately halts weight loss during a calorie restricted diet (likely the result of hormonal disruption). So getting an adequate amount of restorative sleep every night is essential to good health. Here a few tips to help achieve a good night’s sleep each and every night.

  1. GET OUTDOOR LIGHT EXPOSURE ON YOUR EYES WITHOUT SUNGLASSES EVERY DAY, EARLY IN THE DAY. This helps set your biologic/circadian clock. Even on a cloudy day, outdoor light is much stronger and natural than indoor light. It is essential for setting your biologic/circadian clock. If you cannot get outside, stand or sit in front of a large window for 20-30 minutes in the morning, looking outside. Take a lunch break outside without sunglasses. Wear a shade hat instead of sunglasses. Your brain needs to experience natural outdoor light during the day.
  2. Avoid bright light in the evening, especially the light from TV, computer screens, cell phones, which all emit intense blue light and trick your brain into thinking it is daytime. Wear blue light blocking glasses/goggles for 2-3 hours before bed. (Amber tinted glasses which block blue light can be purchased on-line and can be worn over reading glasses) There is also software available that will decrease the blue light intensity of computer screens and cell phones in the evening.
  3. Practice time restricted eating. Limit all eating to an eight hour period, thus providing for an over-night fast of 16 hours. If that does not seem possible try to limit eating to a 10-hour period which provides a 14-hour overnight fast. This improves sleep, circadian rhythm, blood pressure, blood sugar and reduces stress hormones. NO SNACKS BETWEEN MEALS. NO FOOD FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE BED. For every hour decrease in eating time period from 12 hours to 8 hours you get health benefit.
  4. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.
  5. If you snore, are overweight/obese, fall asleep during the day, or do not feel refreshed in the morning ask your doctor to order a sleep study. Obstructive Sleep Apnea makes restorative sleep impossible and increases risk of heart attack, stroke and most chronic diseases.
  6. Avoid alcohol altogether and avoid caffeine after late morning.  Alcohol in the evening may help you fall asleep but it results in a withdrawal from alcohol during the night. This disrupts normal sleep patterns.
  7. Sleep in a cold, dark, quiet room. Use black-out curtains, no night lights, no phone charger lights, no lights of any kind should be on in the room. Any amount of light in the room impairs the production of melatonin which facilitates sleep onset.
  8. Have a wind–down time every evening. Develop habits of non-stressful activities, soft music, dim light, casual conversation, enjoyable reading. Do not spend evening time dealing with finances, conflict, or emotional activity.
  9. Try a magnesium supplement before bedtime. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium gluconate, are absorbed much better than cheaper supplements such as magnesium oxide. Magnesium L-Threonate is expensive, but it crosses the blood brain barrier into the brain with the greatest brain penetration of all magnesium supplements.
  10. Manage stress with yoga, meditation, regular exercise (but no intense exercise in the evening.) Perform most of your exercise outdoors in a green space. This provides much more health benefit than the equivalent exercise indoors.
  11. Regular contact with supportive family and friends is essential to health and reduces stress. The greatest predictor of health vs disease is the amount of social connectedness an individual experiences.
  12. Establish regular wake-up times and go-to-bed times. Regular sleep habits are essential. If you must rely on alarm clocks you do not have good sleep habits.

A few words about alcohol, caffeine and sleeping pills.

A drink or two in the evening may help you relax but it disrupts your sleep by causing a mild episode of alcohol withdrawal as your liver metabolizes the alcohol and your blood levels drop. Even this slight degree of alcohol withdrawal will impair a good night’s sleep.

Caffeine impairs sleep by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is the neurotransmitter that increases gradually during the day creating a sate referred to as sleep pressure. Some people metabolize caffeine quickly, others slowly. The slower you metabolize caffeine the longer it takes to clear it from your adenosine receptors. Without adequate sleep pressure (adenosine receptors filled with adenosine in the brain) you cannot fall asleep. Many sleep experts recommend complete abstinence from caffeine and suggest that if you need caffeine to get started in the morning you are regularly sleep deprived.

Sleeping pills of all kinds interfere with normal sleep architecture. While they facilitate falling asleep, they impair your ability to achieve deep restorative stages of sleep and can produce many undesirable side effects including addiction, withdrawal symptoms, sleep walking, sleep driving, worsening of asthma and COPD, constipation, diarrhea, daytime drowsiness, burning and tingling sensations, unusual dreams, weakness, heartburn, etc…. Most importantly they all interfere with cycling through the various stages of sleep in a normal, restorative pattern!

If you want to explore these concepts in depth here are two excellent books that discuss sleep and circadian rhythm.

Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker Ph.D.

The Circadian Code, by Satchin Panda Ph.D.

Eat clean, sleep well, spend time exercising out of doors, love one another.

Bob Hansen MD

GMOs are dangerous, no doubt. Roundup and glyphosate are bad players.

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I have discussed the dangers of GMO foods and Roundup before.

The evidence continues to mount.

“A peer-reviewed article, published  November 7, 2017, in the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, demonstrates that GMOs are likely taking a heavy toll on our health. And a survey of 3,256 people who avoided them reported astonishing improvements in 28 health conditions.”

You can find a summary of the salient points from this scientific article here.

But I suggest you read the first few pages of the full article here.

The first few pages of this article describe the history of GMOs and how the warnings of  FDA scientists were silenced by regulatory executives who were shills for the likes of Monsanto and other dangerous players in this sad history.

11 genetically modified food crops are currently grown for commercial consumption. The six major crops are soy, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets and alfalfa which are used to feed humans and animals. Cottonseed and canola are also processed into “food-grade” oils and sugar beets are refined to make sugar.

  • All six major GMOs are engineered to be herbicide tolerant, to survive spray of weed killer (such as Roundup)
  • 89% of GMOs grown in the US are herbicide tolerant
  • The most common herbicide involved is Roundup
  • 94% of soybeans grown in the US are Roundup Resistant (RR)
  • Some varieties of corn and cotton have genes inserted that produce a toxic insecticide called Bt toxin.
  • 76% of corn grown in the US is both Bt-producing and herbicide tolerant, 80% of cotton are both Bt and herbicide tolerant.

Roundup is not only used to kill weeds, but it is now sprayed heavily on crops immediately before harvest as a desiccant (drying agent) and large measurable amounts are found in the foods that you purchase in the supermarket.

In 1998 the FDA was sued by the Alliance for Bio-integrity and forced to turn over tens of thousands of pages of internal memos related to GMOs. FDA scientists repeatedly warned their superiors that GMO foods could create serious health risks such as allergies, toxins, antibiotic resistant diseases and nutritional problems. Michael Taylor, the former outside attorney for Monsanto and subsequent vice president of government and regulatory affairs for Monsanto was the political appointee in the FDA charged with overseeing GMOs!

On May 8, 2009,, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine published their policy paper on GMOs citing animal studies that revealed:

  • infertility,
  • immune dysregulation,
  • accelerated aging,
  • dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis,
  • faulty insulin regulation, cell signaling and protein formation,
  • changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system

The AAEM recommended that the US government implement a moratorium on all GM foods and urged physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets.

But Monsanto prevailed and FDA officials ignored the warnings of their own scientists.

The three general categories of GMO danger include:

  1. consequences of the GMO transformation process
  2. the Bt toxin found in GMO corn and cotton
  3. the herbicides-particularly Roundup, that are sprayed on most GMO foods and consumed by those who eat GMO food.

A study of Monsanto’s RR corn revealed 117 proteins and 91 small molecule biochemicals significantly different from natural corn. Some of those differences “enhance the effects of histamine, thus heightening allergic reactions” and two of the polyamines in the GMO corn have been implicated in the formation of carcinogens (nitrosamines).

The GMO process can produce a host of unintended changes in RNA, DNA,  proteins and genes. And these changes can migrate and hybridize with non-GMO foods when the wind blows seeds from GMO plants into fields planted with non-GMO plants.

Altered Genes (transgenes) from GMO foods may “horizontally transfer” to humans or other organisms including the gut bacteria in humans that control much of our physiology.

Studies of rats fed GMO potatoes demonstrated adverse effects on every organ in young rats. Most changes occurred within 10 days. Disruption of organ growth, immune suppression and damage to organs of the immune system, thickening of the stomach and intestinal lining were noted.

Monsanto’s own data show that GM soybeans contain up to seven times the level of a natural allergen (trypsin inhibitor which also impairs protein digestion) and a doubling of soy lectin which impairs nutrient absorption. These were unintended consequences of the GMO process.

Monsanto’s MON810 Bt corn has 43 genes significantly altered in levels of expression. One of these genes which is normally switched off in non-GMO corn is switched on in the GMO version and it produces an allergenic protein.

Glyphosate is the major antibiotic in Roundup (yes Roundup is classified as an antibiotic). I have discussed the great hazards of glyphosate before. On October 24, 2017 JAMA published a study of the increase in measurable levels of glyphosate in humans.

The researchers compared urine excretion levels of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in 100 people living in a Southern California community who provided samples during five clinic visits that took place between 1993 to 1996 and 2014 to 2016.

“What we saw was that prior to the introduction of genetically modified foods, very few people had detectable levels of glyphosate,” . “As of 2016, 70 percent of the study cohort had detectable levels.”

In July 2017, glyphosate was listed as a carcinogen by California.

A 2014 review concluded that:

Evidence is mounting that glyphosate interferes with many
metabolic processes in plants and animals and glyphosate residues have been detected in both.
Glyphosate disrupts the endocrine system and the balance of gut bacteria, it damages DNA and is a driver of mutations that lead to cancer.

There are many reasons to follow an organic, GMO-free, whole foods ancestral diet. Contamination with Roundup presents yet another compelling reason to choose your food wisely.

Some folks prefer videos to research articles, so below you will find both.

 

Here are a few links that will take you to articles related to this topic and quoted above.

Survey Reports Improved Health After Avoiding Genetically Modified Food

Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the United States of America

Environmental and health effects of the herbicide glyphosate. – PubMed – NCBI

Glyphosate: environmental contamination, toxicity and potential risks to human health via food contamination. – PubMed – NCBI

Aluminum and glyphosate can synergistically induce pineal gland pathology: connection to gut dysbiosis and neurological disease

GMO crops increase pesticide use

The high cost of pesticides: human and animal diseases

Is roundup the toxic chemical that’s making us all sick

Scientists Back Up WHO’s Classification of Glyphosate as “Probably Carcinogenic”

Food for thought: Are Herbicides a Factor for the Increase in Allergies and Autism?

Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance

Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases III: Manganese, neurological diseases, and associated pathologies

Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases IV: cancer and related pathologies

Glyphosate pathways to modern diseases V: Amino acid analogue of glycine in diverse proteins

GMOs, herbicides, and public health

Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors

Glyphosate‐based pesticides affect cell cycle regulation

Glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines

Environmental and human health impacts of growing genetically modified herbicide‐tolerant sugar beet: a life‐cycle assessment

Unidentified inert ingredients in pesticides: implications for human and environmental health

The possible link between autism and glyphosate acting as glycine mimetic—A review of evidence from the literature with analysis

Eat organic fruits and vegetables, avoid GMOs, enjoy better health.

Dr. Bob

Fred Kummerow, PhD, fought the battle against Trans Fats for over 50 years.

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Professor Fred Kummerow passed away on May 31 at his home in Urbana, Ill at age 102. He ate butter, red meat and eggs cooked in butter, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables. He avoided margarine, french fries and other fried foods, along with cookies, cake and crackers which contained artificial trans-fats. He conducted research in his nutrition science laboratory at the University of Illinois up until his death. he authored the book Cholesterol Won’t Kill You, But Trans Fat Could: Separating Scientific Fact from Nutritional Fiction in What You Eat

Fred warned the American public and scientists in the 1950s about the dangers of artificial man-made trans fats. His research was largely ignored and criticized by the food industry and by scientists who were funded by the food industry for decades. Despite mounting evidence in both animals and humans that artificial trans fats dramatically increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and probably several forms of cancer, the FDA ignored his pleas to address the issue. In 2009 Professor Kummerow filed a petition with the FDA to ban the use of trans fats. Although federal law required that the FDA respond within 180 days to such a petition, the FDA remained silent. In 2013, approaching the age of 99, Professor Kummerow sued the FDA. Two years latter in 2015 the FDA declared that artificial trans-fats were unsafe and should be eliminated from the US food supply by 2018.

Through his lifelong work, Professor Kummerow has produced a policy change that will likely save hundreds of thousands of lives.

What are trans fats and why have they been in our food for 7 decades?

Although there are some forms of natural trans fats which are safe for consumption when consumed in whole foods, artificial trans-fats are produced by placing unsaturated fat (such as corn oil, soy oil) under high pressure and high temperature conditions and adding hydrogen in the presence of a metal catalyst. These fats were introduced to many American foods because they dramatically extend the shelf life of foods and give a pleasant mouth texture to a variety of processed foods. They remain in many foods still on the shelves today. You cannot rely on labels such as “NO TRANS FATS” OR “TRANS FAT FREE” because food companies are allowed to make this statement as long as the amount of trans fats does not exceed 0.5 grams per serving. No amount is safe!

The Institute of Medicine, on July 10, 2002 declared manufactured trans fatty acid (TFA) a serious danger to the health of our nation with a: “tolerable upper intake level of zero.”  This means there is no safe level of consumption. Despite that strong statement in 2002, it has taken the efforts of an elderly professor, including a lawsuit, to bring the FDA around to finally address the issue.

But it is not over yet, you can bet that the food industry will try to delay the implementation of the ban or possibly even argue against the overwhelming science that supports such a ban.

In the meantime read labels. If any food item contains “partially hydrogenated” oil of any kind or “hydrogenated oil” of any kind it contains trans fats. These foods are typically foods you should not be eating any way because they usually also contain added sugar, refined flour and/or refined easily oxidized inflammatory “vegetable” oils. They are not whole foods and therefore should not be consumed for many reasons. But if you want to eat cake, cookies, crackers, bread, or any other processed foods, beware and read the ingredients so as to at least avoid trans-fats.

You can read about Fred Kummerow, his life and research at these sites:

Fred A. Kummerow, scientist who raised early warnings about trans fats, dies at 102 – The Washington Post

Fred A. Kummerow, an Early Opponent of Trans Fats, Dies at 102 – The New York Times

Fred Kummerow, U. of I. professor who fought against trans fats, dies at 102 – Chicago Tribune

Fred also studied the effects of a oxysterols and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) both of which contribute to atherosclerosis.  In a  2013 publication Professor Kummerow stated

“levels of oxysterols and OxLDL increase primarily as a result of three diet or lifestyle factors: the consumption of oxysterols from commercially fried foods such as fried chicken, fish and french fries; oxidation of cholesterol in vivo driven by the consumption of excess polyunsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils; and cigarette smoking.”

Yet the American Heart Association continues to recommend increased consumption of polyunsaturated fats from the likes of corn oil, soy oil, cottonseed and similar oils. I have discussed the problems with that advice here and here.

So the next time you avoid trans fats by reading food labels, think of Professor Kummerow who brought light to some very dark areas in the history of nutrition and food in the US.

Eat clean, live clean, and enjoy.

Dr. Bob

Nutrition Journals and the influence of the food industry

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Ever wonder why the public is so confused about nutrition recommendations? Just follow the money and you will understand that most of the professional societies that publish nutrition articles are funded by big food companies that are trying to sell more sugar, refined carbs and junk food. I recently read an excellent post about this topic here:

The Vilest Villain: American Society of Nutrition

This theme is repeated by medical journals that are “The Official Journal of the Society of >>>>>>” Just fill in the blanks for just about any medical society. Funding comes from big pharmaceutical companies the same way that funding in the nutrition Journals comes from large (junk) “food” manufacturers.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of very valuable, life-saving drugs out there.

But most chronic human disease in developed societies is generated by various combinations of poor nutrition, lack of exercise, disruption of circadian rhythm, inadequate restorative sleep, stress and lack of social support systems.

The obesity and diabetes epidemics continue to worsen yet the failed dietary advise of major health organizations is slow to respond to the data. Excess refined carbs (especially in the form of “food” made with flour) and added sugar (especially in the form of HFCS) are the major driving forces for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Red meat is not the culprit, provided the meat is properly sourced (hormone and antibiotic free, grass fed) and cooked in a manner that does not create carcinogens and inflammatory mediators (cook with slow, low, moist heat, high temperature grilling and smoking cause problems, but that topic  is for another post).

Americans consume an average 130 pounds per year of added sugar and 140 pounds per year of refined flour. Those are averages so there are many people who consume more. The added sugar is not the white stuff people put in their coffee. It comes in all sorts of forms but is found in energy drinks, soda, lattes and mochas, salad dressing,  ketchup, canned soups, canned vegetables, white AND whole grain breads, pasta (even “whole grain”), crackers, breakfast cereal,  just about any packaged food that has more than one ingredient on the label. These foods represent 70% of the American diet. The problems created by this situation are enormous and will bankrupt our “healthcare system”. This is a cultural and economic problem.

The solutions are simple but largely ignored in our society. We are creatures of habit and convenience.

Eat whole foods, nothing from a package that has more than one ingredient. Eat meat, seafood, poultry, fresh organic vegetables (6-9 servings per day), fresh organic fruits, and nuts. Meat should be hormone and antibiotic free (free range, grass fed). Seafood should be wild. Poultry should be free range and the eggs should come from free range chickens, ducks, geese.

Do not worry about eating fat as long as it comes from healthy animals and sources such as coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil and clarified butter (ghee).

Do not use any “vegetable” oils (corn, soy, and other oils from grains or seeds) The vegetable oils are highly refined and inflammatory. They contain easily oxidized omega 6 fats that feed the production of inflammatory mediators in your body and create oxidized LDL leading to atherosclerosis.

Exercise daily, preferably outside in a green space. Twice per week spend 20-30 minutes  doing resistance training (lift weights, work against the resistance of bands, use your own body weight doing pushups, pull-ups etc)

Reduce stress with mediation, yoga, tai chi, dancing, engaging in fun sports and social activities. Walk on the beach, by a lake, river or stream, in the woods, listen to music.

Get some sunshine regularly especially during the morning to get your circadian rhythm in order and to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D.

Spend time with family, friends and colleagues who are supportive and fun to be around.

Sleep in the dark.

Get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Avoid TV, computer screens and other electronic devices for at least 2 hours before bedtime.

Unplug from the internet, email, etc on a regular basis.

We evolved as hunter-gatherers.

Peace

Bob Hansen MD

 

 

Great lecture videos available on line

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In January I attended the annual meeting of Physicians for Ancestral Health. There were great presentations on many topics related to lifestyle and health. Take a look at the website linked below to learn about many topics relating nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle to health.

Open Video Archives | Physicians for Ancestral Health

I presented a lecture titled “The Lipoprotein Retention Model, What’s Missing?” This discusses many factors (root causes) that contribute to the formation of plaque in arteries and what can be done to prevent this insidious process by adopting a “Paleo Lifestyle“.

Other videos include:

Paleopathology and the Origins of the Paleo Diet. Keynote speaker Michael Eades MD, author of several books and a well known website.

Medicine Without Evolution is like Engineering Without Physics– Randolph M Neese, MD Director of the Arizona State University Center for Evolution.

The Roles of Intermittent Fasting and Carbohydrates in Cancer Therapy– Dawn Lemanne, MD, MPH, integrative oncologist.

 23 and Me: Practical First Steps-Deborah Gordon MD, discusses a practical approach to utilizing information from this genetic test.

Histamine Intolerance-Why (food) Freshness Matters– Georgia Ede MD.

 

Mood and Memory: How Sugar Affects Brain Chemistry-Georgia Ede, MD.

Systems Analysis and Multiple Sclerosis– Tommy Wood MD, author, blogger and lecturer, frequently interviewed on topics related to exercise and nutrition.

Cholesterol OMG– Jeffry Gerber, MD “The Diet Doctor” in Denver Colorado

Bob Hansen MD