Antiaging has become a big business with an enormous number of practioners and companies peddling various pills, potions, and surgical procedures to "reverse the aging process."

On this Short Run we explore research concerning the theory of compression of morbidity.  The idea is that lifestyle choices have a big impact on when and how severely a person develops disabling conditions and illnesses as he or she ages.

Please cast a vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley by clicking here. 

References:

Aging, Health Risks, and Cumulative Disability

Okay, I finally made my first YouTube video.  Check it out and send me your comments.

Have a great workout.

Monte

In this podcast we review some articles from the medical literature on the potential health benefits of green tea.  Green tea is a source of flavonoid polyphenols called Catechins that may play a role in reducing the risk of some chronic diseases.

The news about green tea is basically good, but it is important to remember that it is the synergistic effects of a variety of different plant chemicals working together that creates optimum health.  Adding green tea to a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, and avocados makes sense.  Expecting green tea to offset the negative effects of a poor diet and lack of exercise does not make sense.

Click here to vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley

References:

Green Tea Consumption and Mortality Due to Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and All Causes in Japan

Green Tea Consumption and Cognitive Function

Efficacy of a Green Tea Extract Rich in Catechin Polyphenols and Caffeine in Increasing 24-hour Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation in Humans

Wellness Foods A to Z

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this week's Short Run we review an article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that looks at the cancer-fighting potential of onions and garlic.

Remember that a healthy diet involves eating a wide variety of plant-based foods that allows for the synergistic effects of a host of different phytonutrients.  Get your nutrients from the whole foods - not supplements.

Check out the great running story submitted by listener Mike Ormsby.  The story is under the "Listener Story" button in the sidebar. 

If you have a story, essay, or poem about your experiences with living a healthier lifestyle please send it in for consideration to be posted on the Fitness Rocks Website.

Vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley by clicking here.

References:

Onion and Garlic Use and Human Cancer

Red lentils with crispy garlic and onions

Listener Stories is a new feature at Fitness Rocks.  If you have a story, essay, or poem related to exercise, diet, fitness, or overcoming a health or illness-related condition that you would like to share - send it in through the contact button.  The document should be no longer than 2000 words.  

Written material will be reviewed upon acceptance and we will let you know ASAP if it will be published on the website.

Thank you for participating in the Fitness Rocks community.

Running in Rwanda #1   by Mike Ormsby

Click here to read the rest of the story by Mike Ormsby

In this episode we look at some of the research surrounding the question of how much exercise is enough to be healthy, prevent chronic diseases, and maintain a healthy weight.  The question has a more complicated answer than you might imagine.  I do my best to sumarize my understanding of the literature in 30 minutes - trust me, I could've said a lot more. 

Post your comments and questions here and in the Fitness Rocks Forum, or e-mail me directly. 

Please cast a vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley by clicking here. 

References:

The Evolution of Physical Activity Recommendations: How Much is Enough? 

Relative Intensity of Physical Activity and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease 

A Prospective Study of Walking as Compared to Vigorous Exercise in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women 

Comparison of Cardioprotective Benefits of Vigorous vs Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise 

Music: 

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam 

Jon Schmidt - All of Me 

What's in Your Smoothie?

First - what's a short run?  It is a midweek podcast that is only 5 - 10 minutes in length.  Fitness Rocks Short Runs are quick tips to keep you on the path toward healthy living.

Getting a variety of different whole plant-based foods is essential to good health and maximizing your chances of avoiding chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. A diet that provides multiple combinations of phytochemicals (nutrient chemicals from plants) from different fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and healthy oils is the best way to get this disease-fighting benefit.  You just can't do it with pills and supplements.

That's where smoothies come in.  Smoothies are a fast and easy way to stack your diet with a huge mix of phytonutrients.  In this inaugural episode of Fitness Rocks Short Runs I give you my breakfast smoothie recipe and discuss the health promoting aspects of the different ingredients.  This smoothie is big - around 550 calories.  If you're on a calorie-restricted diet you have two options:  

1. Drink part of this smoothie for breakfast and save the rest (in the refrigerator) for a snack later in the day. 
2. Leave out a couple of the ingredients to reduce the total number of calories.

The Smoothie:

1. Apple
2. Orange
3. Banana
4. Kiwifruit
5. Frozen blueberries - 1 cup
6. Broccoli - 1 small fresh floret or "sprig"
7. Unsweetened juice or soy milk - about 11/2 cups.

You'll never know the broccoli is in there.  I keep about half the orange peel intact and just blend it in.  I put the kiwfruit in with the peel on.  Wash everything with water first.  Use organic fruit and vegetables when possible.  I use either orange juice or pomegranate juice.  Pomegranate juice is pretty tart. 

The focus of this smoothie is maximizing consumption of phytochemicals - the disease-fighting superheroes in a plant-based diet.

Here's a brief (not exhaustive) rundown on what this smoothie will give you:

1. Blueberries:
1. Lots of antioxidant power from anthocyanins which may play a role in preventing heart disease and cancer.
2. Antibacterial properties from procyanidins that may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
3. Blueberry extracts were found to reverse mental decline in lab rats - will it work in humans?  I don't know, but I'm willing to try.
2. Broccoli:
1. Cancer fighting ability from glucosinolates which are broken down into indoles and isothiocyanates by our bodies.
2. Enhancement of cancer fighting enzyme systems in our body by dithiolthiones.
3. Apples:
1. Red apple skin is loaded with antioxidant anthocyanins.
2. Quercetin - another phytochemical with potent antioxidant properties that may reduce the risk of several chronic diseases and cancer.
4. Bananas:
1. Big source of blood pressure-lowering potassium
5. Oranges:
1. Vitamin C (the other fruits and vegetables are full of vitamin C as well).
2. Pectin, a heart-healthy soluble fiber in the white part of the peel.
3. More potassium
6. Kiwifruit:
1. Phenolic compounds that have a potential role in fighting cancer through antioxidant properties.
2. See my blog on Kiwifruit
7. Pomegranate juice:
1. May slow the growth of prostate cancer cells - see Podcast 030

Overall, this smoothie is high in fiber, high in potassium, low in sodium, and chock full of phytonutrients.  Even at 550 calories (approximately) it is a lot more diet friendly than a plate of bacon and eggs.  It's a dose of phytochemotherapy every morning!

Experiment on your own - you can blend anything.  Here's a tip - don't put spinach in your smoothie.  Save spinach for your steamer or other dishes you may cook.  Spinach will turn your smoothie an unappetizing brown color, and it just doesn't taste good in smoothies.

I also eat a 1/4 cup of walnuts with the smoothie - another 180 calories -  but lots of healthy unsaturated fat, including omega-3 fatty acids.

Click here to vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley

Music:

I feel Fantastic - Jonathan Coulton

References:

Wellness Foods A to Z

Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables from Additive and Synergistic Effects

Adventure Racing

Phil Walker, a listener from Australia, sent me a link to his recent race report from a 24-hour adventure race in which he participated.  The race involved hiking/running, path finding, open ocean kayaking, and keen survival skills.

Click here to read Phil's excellent narrative of the event.

Thanks to Phil for sharing this incredible experience with us.  I really admire the effort and determination that goes into competing in such an event - but after reading about the experience I think my indoor spinning cycle, or a run down by the beach, is all the adventure exercise I will attempt.

Click here to vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley.

Monte

In this show we look at the data on calcium and dairy consumption and try to make sense of current recommendations on how much calcium we should be getting.  We also look at the possibility that excessive calcium and dairy products may have negative consequences for our health.

Click Here to Vote for Fitness Rocks at Podcast Alley

References:

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating

Dairy Products, Calcium, and Prostate Cancer Risk

Calcium Requirement is a Sliding Scale

Letter from Dr. Neal Barnard about Milk

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

The Metabolic Syndrome is a collection of cardiometabolic risk factors that leads to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and premature death.  It is present in 27 percent of US adults aged 20 - 74 and 40 percent of adults over the age of 60.

The risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome increases with increasing body weight and physical inactivity.

To learn what the Metabolic syndrome is, and whether you might have it, listen to podcast 031.  There is also a one-page PDF file on the Metabolic Syndrome available from Fitness Rocks.  To get a free copy send me an e-mail through the contact button on the website.

Help us become the number one podcast on Podcast Alley by voting for Fitness Rocks here:

http://www.podcastalley.com/one_vote2.php?pod_id=29843

References:

The Metabolic Syndrome: Concepts and Controversy

Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity, and Mortality: Impact of Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Fruit and Vegetable Intakes, C-Reactive Protein, and the Metabolic Syndrome

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

Can Pomegranate juice affect the growth of cancer cells?  This week we review a study that tested the effects of Pomegranate juice in men with recurrent prostate cancer.  We briefly review the role of oxidative stress in the origin of cancer and other diseases and look at how antioxidant chemicals found in fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of several different chronic diseases, including cancer.

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment at iTunes and Podcast Alley.  Thanks also to the people leaving posts at the forum and pictures on the Frappr map. And, of course, thank you for all the great e-mails.

To be on the Fitness Rocks e-mail alert list send a request using the contact button at the top of the page.

References:

Role of Diet in Prostate Cancer Development and Progression

Phase 2 Study of Pomegranate Juice for Men with Rising PSA following Surgery or Radiation for Prostate Cancer

Flavonoid (from plants) Intake and Risk of Chronic Disease

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this week's show we review an article looking at the relationship between diet, exercise patterns, body fat, and the risk of cancer.  This is information that will make you closely examine your own lifestyle habits.

We also have an interview with Amy MacIntyre of the popular podcast Fitness Attack, and we go over this week's listener e-mail - there are a lot of terrific questions and suggestions.

Check out the Frappr map on the website and add your picture.

Get involved with the great discussions on the Fitness Rocks Forum.

References:

Long-Term Low-Protein, Low-Calorie Diet and Endurance Exercise Modulate Metabolic Factors Associated with Cancer Risk

Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

There is a discussion going on in the Fitness Rocks forum about sugar, and different ways to sweeten foods.  In answering one of the questions I quoted from a book by Andrew Weil.  I am providing a link to his book at Amazon here:

Eating Well For Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Bringing Health and Pleasure Back to Eating

Dr. Monte

I don't want to come across as a crazed vegetarian warrior trying to convert the world to my particular point of view - I just find the evidence in support of diets that are heavy on plant-based foods and light on meat to be...well...remarkable.

Two studies I looked at today bear this out.  The first is a review article that looked at the potential benefits of eating very small amounts of meat, or no meat at all.  The consensus of the data from six different studies appears to reveal a significant increase in longevity associated with eating diets low in meat.  People with very low meat consumption sustained over a couple of decades gained about 3.6 years of extra life.

I'm not as focused on life extension as I am on improving the quality of life and reducing the burden of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. 

Just getting old may not be such a great thing, but being able to get old and remain robust, vigorous, and independent - that would be good.  Being old and not having your day planner filled up with visits to all of your different doctors is an achievable goal. 

What's the best policy to address the rising cost of prescription drugs?  How about the one nobody is talking about - stay healthy.

A plant-based Mediterranean-style diet is an essential part of a program to keep you healthy as you get older.  Regular exercise is another critical piece of the plan, as is maintaining a healthy weight.

Components of a Mediterranean diet are:

1. High consumption of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and olive oil.
2. Moderate consumption of fish - once or twice a week.
3. Low consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products - if you eat dairy, eat low-fat or non-fat products.
4. Limit alcohol consumption to one drink a day.
5. Make olive oil and other healthy unsaturated plant-based fats the primary source of fat in your diet, and limit saturated fat to 7% of total calories.

The second study I looked at today assessed the benefit of eating a Mediterranean diet in people who had coronary heart disease.  Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet, as described above, was associated with a significant decrease in death rates from heart disease and all other causes as well.  The more a person's diet conformed to the Mediterranean diet; the lower was their risk of death.

The data for the health benefits of plant-based diets and regular exercise is simply overwhelming, and should not be ignored.

References:

Does Low Meat Consumption Increase Life Expectancy in Humans?

Mediterranean Diets and Survival among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Oldways Preservation Trust

Please - I can't stand anymore of this. 

The FDA has approved a weight loss drug, Slentrol, for your dog.  Slentrol, manufactured by Pfizer, will cost about a dollar per day and is indicated for dogs who are more than 20% above ideal weight. 

How long before we have canine liposuction and gastric bypass surgery?

Around 40% of dogs are overweight or obese - a consequence of having their human owner's lifestyle imposed upon them.  What better evidence could there be that the human epidemic of obesity is a medical problem we have created for ourselves - not one that was dealt to us by a bad set of genes?  We have provided our dogs with an overabundance of food and an inadequate amount of exercise and they have gotten fat.  I couldn't have designed the experiment any better.

One article I read quoted a veterinarian as saying the drug was an encouraging development because obesity in dogs is such a big problem.  He was also a paid consultant for Pfizer.  Such ethical dilemmas are everywhere in the healthcare professions.

Overweight dogs suffer all the same complications that overweight humans do - type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, increased rates of cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Evidently, many people believe that it is a good idea to "treat" their dog to a meal at their favorite fast-food restaurant on a regular basis - to show their love!  How is slowly killing your dog by feeding him/her burgers and fries a loving act?  When did taking your dog for a walk or playing fetch cease to be an appropriate method of showing affection?

Here are a few Fitness Rocks tips to help with the growing problem of dog obesity:

1.  Your dog can't open the refrigerator or drive the car to McDonalds.  In fact, your dog can only eat what you feed him, and when you feed him.  If we can't keep our animals from overeating how can we possibly hope to prevent ourselves from overeating?

2.  Maybe if you got off the sofa and took your dog for a walk you could both lose some weight.

3.  Get over the idea that overfeeding your dog, your family, and yourself is a way of expressing affection or "rewarding" yourself for whatever you've done well.  How about just patting yourself on the back, or rubbing behind your ears?

4.  The evidence is now overwhelming - not only are burgers, fries, and other fast food bad for humans - they're bad for all living creatures.  Take them off your menu.

5.  Stop hoping for magic that will allow you and your dog to continue living a sedentary, overindulgent lifestyle without ill-effects.

Express your love for your dog, and yourself, by eating a healthy diet and exercising every day.  Obesity is a complicated medical problem with a very straight-forward solution.

The Fitness Rocks audi download "Successful Weight Loss" provides a great discussion and information on making healthy choices for a weight loss program.  Click the icon on the sidebar for more details.

References:

Slentrol Goes to the Dogs

Now Dogs Have Weight Loss Pills

My own article on weight loss drugs for humans

Dr. Monte

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we review the benefits of eating the whole food - all edible parts of the naturally occurring fruit, vegetable or whole grain.  Plant foods are filled with thousands of phytonutrients that work in concert to give us lower risk of chronic diseases and premature death.  Exercise brings an additional set of health promoting effects.  The combination of a healthy, plant-based diet and regular exercise produces optimum health.

The recent Fitness Rocks teleconference on Successful Weight Loss is now available as an audio download.  You can purchase the program by clicking the link on this page.

This week I sent a PDF file to all listeners on the Fitness Rocks e-mail alert list entitled How Not to Have a Heart Attack.  If you would like a copy of this one-page PDF document send me an e-mail through the contact button and I will send it to you.

References:

Food Synergy - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating

DC The Running Trucker

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

Now Available

This is a 90 minute recording of the recent Fitness Rocks teleconference on weight loss.  The teleconference includes a panel discussion between the Fitness Rocks team of experts including a registered dietitian, an exercise physiologist, two psychologists, and me, Dr. Monte.  There is also a 30 minute segment of audience questions and answers.

The program is available for immediate download, just click on the "buy now" link.

This week I tried experimenting with the compressor feature on my microprocessor and it didn't workout exactly right.  The podcast has an odd background sound when listened to with headphones.  Oddly enough, this background sound is unnoticeable when the podcast is listened to over external speakers.

The technical aspects of podcasting continue to trip us up - sorry.

The show this week takes a look at two studies using lifestyle interventions to prevent heart disease.  One study focuses on exercise and the other one on the Mediterranean diet.  You will be surprised, and excited, to hear how lifestyle interventions to prevent heart disease stack up against medical interventions.

The lessons learned in this podcast can be applied directly to your plans for a healthy weight loss program.

References:

Exercise versus Angioplasty in Men with Stable Coronary Artery Disease

The Mediterranean Diet and the Rate of Cardiovascular Complications after Myocardial Infarction

Autopsy Evidence of Coronary Artery Disease in Young Trauma Victims

Overdosed America: The Broken Promise of American Medicine

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we review four studies from the medical literature that examine the relationship between fitness and obesity and the risk of developing heart disease, or dying prematurely from any cause.

Do high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness compensate for the known negative health consequences of being overweight or obese?  Put another way - is it okay to be obese if you are fit? 

Medical studies provide different perspectives - much of the difference results from the different ways the various studies were designed. 

What are the Fitness Rocks' conclusions?  Listen to podcast 026 for all the details.

This week Fitness Rocks welcomes a new co-host to the show - Dr Jenny.

Dr Jenny is board certified in Internal Medicine and board certified in Cardiology.  She's a serious expert!

References:

Competing Impact of Excess Weight Vs Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Cardiovascular Risk

Adiposity as Compared with Physical Activity in Predicting Mortality among Women

Association of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index with Novel and Traditional Cardiovascular Biomarkers in Women

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Composition, and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Men

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this episode I try to explain the glycemic index and its implications for health and weight loss.  I intentionally ignored the glycemic load, not because it isn't important, but because the discussion was already complicated enough. 

Glycemic index is a measure of how much, and how fast, a particular carbohydrate containing food raises blood sugar.  This rise in blood sugar precipitates a corresponding rise of insulin that that is required for the cells of our body to utilize this absorbed sugar from the food we eat. 

It turns out that the glycemic index reveals some very interesting aspects about the relationship between the foods we eat and our health as well as our weight.  But the glycemic index is not as clear-cut as one would hope, and it is the subject of ongoing debate and controversy within the medical and scientific community.

Listen to the program and send me your e-mail questions and comments.  It is a complicated topic.

References:

The Glycemic Index

Glycemic Index and Disease

Glycemic Index of Foods: A Physiologic Basis for Carbohydrate Exchange

Dietary Glycemic Index and Obesity

Association Between Dietary Carbohydrates and Body Weight

Glycemic Index Web Site

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we review studies that look at the relationship between sleep and weight gain.  There are some very interesting connections between sleep and weight loss.

We also review two recent case reports from the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings concerning injuries related to herbal weight loss products.

Sign-up for the Fitness Rocks Teleconference on making healthy choices for your New Year's Weight Loss Resolutions by e-mailing us through the contact button on this web page.  The Teleconference is free.

References:

Could Hypertension be a Consequence of our 24/7 society?

Rx for Obesity: Eat Less, Exercise More and - Maybe - Get More Sleep

Sleeping More as a Way to Lose Weight

Sleep Curtailment and Leptin and Ghrelin Levels

Amphetamines Lacing Internet-Marketed Neutraceuticals

Ischemic Colitis Associated with Bitter Orange

MEDWATCH

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

Twenty-five percent of the adult population in the United States has high blood pressure, and forty-seven percent of these people do not have their blood pressure adequately controlled.  The risk of developing high blood pressure increases with age.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, blindness, and kidney failure.  In this episode of Fitness Rocks we talk with exercise physiologist Paul Sorace about how you can reduce your blood pressure with diet and exercise.  We discuss what the medical research has shown regarding the best type of diet to keep blood pressure under control.  Paul also shares his insights into the best ways to exercise.

Fitness Rocks will be having its first teleseminar sometime in December. The teleseminar is free and will be a discussion on how to make an effective New Year's weight-loss resolution - and how to keep it.  The teleseminar will include a dietitian, an exercise physiologist, and two psychologists discussing effective weight-loss strategies and answering your questions. 

If you want to participate in the teleseminar send us an e-mail through the contact button and we will send you the date/time and telephone number for the conference - it's free!

References:

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - NEJM 1997

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - NEJM 2001

DASH eating plan

Lifestyle measures to reduce blood pressure - JAMA

American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on Exercise and High Blood Pressure

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we look at ways you can strengthen your immune system that may help you avoid the common cold.

Healthy eating and regular exercise is an effective route.  The evidence for Echinacea and other dietary supplements is not convincing.

I apologize for the slow play of the podcast on the "PuPu Player"- I don't know why this occasionally happens.  It plays slow with the "listen now" button - but the good news is that it plays fine if you listen via iTunes.  I'm definitely not a sound engineer, so if anybody has an idea why this podcast doesn't play right on the "PuPu Player" please send me an e-mail.

References:

Nutritional Strategies to Counter Stress to the Immune System - ACSM Health and Fitness Journal

Exercise and the Incidence of the Common Cold

An Evaluation of Echinacea in Experimental Rhinovirus Infections - NEJM

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

Spinach is loaded with nutrients that will keep you healthy.  We've all heard about the abundant vitamins and minerals in spinach - vitamin C, beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, and magnesium.  But spinach is also filled with disease-preventing phytonutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin.  These phytonutrients are especially important in preventing macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness (see my blog about diet and eye health).  The mix of phytonutrients in a diet filled with a variety of different kinds of fruits and vegetables are essential to good health and preventing a host of chronic diseases, including heart disease and some cancers.

Unfortunately, spinach lately has been loaded with E-coli bacteria resulting in several illnesses and even some deaths.  This has made a lot of people, including me, afraid to eat spinach. 

But there is good news in this month's issue of the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter.  They report that there has never been a case of an E-coli outbreak coming from frozen spinach.  According to the article in the Wellness Letter, frozen vegetables are not only washed before freezing, but they are also "blanched" in boiling water which generally kills most bacteria.

Cooking spinach also helps to kill any remaining bugs.

There is a lot of enthusiasm these days for eating vegetables raw.  Here's an interesting fact - many of the nutrients in spinach, and other vegetables, are not absorbed well by our digestive tract unless the vegetable has been cooked (not overcooked).  The carotenoid phytonutrients in spinach are fat-soluble which means that they will be better absorbed by our body if they are cooked with a small amount of olive oil.

So that's the news for today - the Wellness Letter says frozen spinach is okay.

Monte Ladner, M.D.

In follow-up to yesterday's blog I have received two responses to e-mails I sent out to the scientists in the NPR report on declining nutrient levels in fruits and vegetables.  Today I will post the response (with permission) of Dr. John Juvik, a plant geneticist at the University of Illinois.  The text in black is my questions; the text in red is Dr. Juvik's answers.

1.  The differences in glucosinolate levels in broccoli you mentioned as being a consequence of genetics and environment.  Are these naturally occurring genetic differences, or the result of genetic modification?  Or both?

We have surveyed over 50 genotypes (varieties) of broccoli and observed substantial "natural" genetic variability in tocopherol (vitamin E), carotenoid (including vitamin A precursors), and glucosinolate form and content in the heads. Depending on the compound the concentrations ranged between the lowest and highest genotypes from 3 - 20 fold. Again, depending on the particular compound the proportion of the variation attributed to genetic differences among the varieties ranges from about 25-75%, with most of the remainder of variation due to the growing environment.  These differences are due to natural occurring variation that was fixed into these lines during the process of their selection in plant breeding programs to develop commercial varieties. 

There are currently no existing broccoli commercial genotypes that carry transgenes or are considered genetically engineered (GMO).  All have been developed through conventional sexual hybridization and selection by man. I am making the assumption when you use the term genetic modification you are referring to genetic engineering via plant transformation with a "transgene". Technically, conventional breeding is also genetic modification.     

2.  When a food crop is genetically engineered to be more resistant to insect infestation, I would assume this is done by boosting the plant's production of particular chemicals that are toxic to the insects.  What are the implications of this for humans who eat the plant?

Not necessarily, the current GMO example that is in broad commercial use involves corn, soybean, potato, cotton, etc. (but not broccoli or other fresh vegetables) varieties that have been transformed with the Bt endotoxin protein.  This protein is synthesized in extremely low concentrations in these transformed plant tissues and is not toxic to mammals at doses thousands of times greater. Development of crops by conventional breeding with resistance to insects has on some occasions been due to increasing the concentration of phytochemicals that are toxic to the insect. More often the mechanism of resistance is unknown or related to a change in the plant that renders it less attractive or palatable to insects. In the case of the glucosinolates and some other compounds enhancing concentrations will result first in increasing anticancer activity and health promotion, further increases will result in reduced advantageous bioactivity, and ever higher levels could lead to toxicity. Obviously any such modifications must be carefully evaluated prior to commercial release.  

3.  Most, if not all studies, looking at the health benefits of diets rich in fruits and vegetables have shown convincing evidence of improved health among people with primarily plant-based diets.  Conversely, there is essentially no good evidence that taking mega doses of single nutrients in the form of dietary supplements is good for us, and in some cases may be harmful.  The conclusions of many epidemiological researchers has been that it is the mixture and proportions of nutrients occurring naturally in plants that makes them good for us.  If we genetically engineer a plant to produce more of a particular phytonutrient - beyond its normal production and out of proportion with other nutrients in the plant won't we be creating a "supplement phenomenon" and very likely be doing more harm than good?

This is a question that has not been resolved.  Current information suggests that many dietary supplements are not very effective because they suffer from reduced uptake or poor targeting of bioactive components to necessary organs. This also results in a "burst" of  bioactive compounds in regions of the gut (stomach or small intestine) that may have limited effectiveness for uptake.  It is believed that health promoting phytochemicals that are presented and integrated in a masticated food matrix show improved uptake in more absorbent portions of the gut.  This form of presentation is also more gradual and can result in a greater dose of uptake due to longer duration of the compounds in more areas of the gut. Many of the compounds that researchers are working on in fruits and vegetables related to improving their health promotion are no where near levels that would cause any toxicity even with dramatic enhancement. 

It is my belief that it is not necessary to use genetic engineering to improve the health promoting properties in our fruits and vegetables. Existing variation can be utilized in conventional breeding programs.   

4.  The evidence for the benefits of a plant-based diet is clear and convincing.  I don't think the problem is in the random variation in nutrients among vegetables, I think it is that so few people eat a plant-based diet.  Wouldn't we be better off letting plants keep the genetic make-up they evolved with (the same genetic make-up we evolved to eat)?

Of course, this is the core of the problem, but what is a more achievable approach - dramatically changing the diet of the majority of humans or breeding a fruit or vegetable that is only eaten once a week or month to deliver more of the compounds that can reduce the incidence or cancer or heart disease?

5.  What are your concerns about the genetic modification of food crops regarding the implications for human health?

I think that any such modification, even through convention breeding, must be approached with great caution and careful evaluation for possible antagonistic outcomes.  

National Public Radio did a report this past week that I am sure will become part of a new marketing campaign for the dietary supplement industry.  Researchers looking at archived USDA data from 1950 and 1999 regarding the levels of 13 nutrients in fruits and vegetables found that 6 of the 13 nutrients showed declining levels over time.

The claim that fruits and vegetables no longer contain adequate amounts of essential nutrients has already been in the marketing message of supplement manufacturers; I expect this will only add fuel to their fire.

Before you stop buying fruits and vegetables and start stocking up on supplements, let's try to look at the facts.  First of all, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different phytochemicals in plants.  This study looked at thirteen nutrients and minerals.  We don't know about the others.  Secondly, there are several studies looking at the health of people consuming primarily plant-based diets during this time frame from 1950 to 1999, and beyond, and the overwhelming evidence is that these people are much healthier than people who don't eat fruits and vegetables. 

One genetics researcher mentioned in the report talked about the wide variation in broccoli content of plant compounds called glucosinolates - phytochemicals linked to a possible reduction in the risk of some cancers.  He pointed out that between individual broccoli plants there may be as much as a fifty-fold difference in glucosinolate content based on genetic differences between the two plants and the environments in which the two plants were grown.  As far as I can tell this is a naturally occurring difference and the obvious answer to this problem is to make sure you eat broccoli, and other plants, several times a week.

There is abundant evidence for the health benefits of diets high in fruits and vegetables.  There is scant, if any, evidence for the health benefits of taking supplements that provide mega doses of single nutrients, and in some cases (beta-carotene) mega doses of single nutrients may be harmful.

I have e-mailed three of the researchers involved in this report with questions about this issue.  If I get any responses I will report them here in this blog.

In the meantime, it is a very safe bet that eating apples and broccoli is still way better for you than eating cheese balls and candy bars.

Monte Ladner, M.D.  

Job stress has been linked to higher risks of developing high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. 

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we talk with Psychologist Dr. Mary Guarino about following individual passions to find a fulfilling career.

For most of us our job plays a big role in defining who we are as human beings - whether we like it or not.  Wouldn't it be great to have a job that excited you, a job that you actually loved doing and that gave meaning to your life? 

Dr. Mary Guarino owns Stellar Self in Washington, DC and is the author of It's Your Time Now: What Will You Do With It. 

Listen to what Dr. Guarino has to say about turning your passion into your life's work.

References:

Mary Guarino, Ph.D.

Job Strain and High Blood Pressure

Job Stress and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

A listener wrote me recently about his struggle to lose a lot of weight.  He was proposing to follow a couple of the popular fad diets - I won't mention which ones in order to avoid the wrath of supporters of these diets.  For the record - I think all of the "lose-weight-quick" diets should be avoided in favor of developing sensible eating and exercise habits. 

For the inaugural Fitness Rocks blog I thought I would post my response to his e-mail question about how to proceed with the challenge of losing weight and regaining health.  Here it is: 

Dear Fitness Rocks listener (not his real name), 

Before I answer your question let me say that a really good book to get you going in the right direction is Eat, Drink, and be Healthy by Walter Willett, M.D. 

The two popular diets you mention have both been shown to result in weight loss at six months that is greater than other diets - but by one year the results of most popular diets are about the same - and pretty modest.  All fad diets have dismal long-term adherence rates. 

All of the discussion in the popular media about which fad diet is the best for quick weight loss completely misses the point.  The real answer is about developing a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. 

When I talk to people about weight loss I tell them the real goal should be developing healthy eating patterns and regular exercise, the weight loss will come as a secondary phenomenon.  That may sound like an irrelevant distinction, but let me tell you why it's not.  Being overweight or obese increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and other cancers, as well as osteoarthritis, and other unwanted chronic diseases.  Weight loss will bring those risks down - but the way you lose weight is important in how much you bring those risks down.   

For example, insulin resistance is common in overweight people and can lead to full blown type 2 diabetes.  Starting an exercise program will almost immediately reduce insulin resistance.  This reduction in insulin resistance will begin even before you lose a single pound purely as a consequence of the physiologic effects of exercise on your muscles. 

Changing your diet to a primarily plant-based diet with lots of fruits and vegetables (8 - 10 servings per day), along with whole grains, nuts, beans, only small amounts of lean meat, and nonfat or at least low-fat dairy products (if you eat dairy products) will begin to lower your blood pressure within two weeks - even if you haven't lost any weight at that point!  Losing weight will lower your blood pressure even more. 

This same plant-based diet (the so-called Mediterranean diet) will also give you a more favorable cholesterol panel, and is associated with lower premature death rates. 

Don't misunderstand me - your long-term health depends on you losing weight and maintaining that weight loss.  But if you work to change your food choices to healthier ones you will be creating habits that will improve your health and help you lose weight. 

Remember that there is more in food than just calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein.  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains are loaded with hundreds, maybe thousands, of "phytonutrients," plant chemicals, that are essential to good health.  You can't get these in pills in the same way that nature gives them to us in whole foods - so don't waste your money on expensive supplements to make up for a bad diet! 

Typical American processed foods not only have the wrong kind of carbohydrates (highly refined white flour), and the wrong kind of fats (saturated and trans fat), but these processed foods are devoid of the health-promoting phytonutrients that whole grains, fruits and vegetables give us. 

Here's another example:  You're overweight and that is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.  While you are working to lose weight doesn't it also make sense to be eating whole foods that are known to decrease the risk of prostate cancer - like tomatoes? 

More good news about selecting plant-based foods as the mainstay of your diet is that they are relatively low in calories.  If you consider what a powerful nutritional punch they provide you're really getting the most bang for your buck with fruits and vegetables at a comparably low caloric cost.  Example: an average candy bar can have around 240 calories, and absolutely nothing in it that is good for you.  That is about the same number of calories that you would get by eating four medium sized apples!  And the apples are loaded with nutrients that promote your health.  Eat an apple, save 180 calories, and get healthier in the process. 

When a person gets around to deciding to take control of their weight what they really need to do is take control of their health, let the weight loss come as a side effect of healthy living.   

Work closely with your doctor who can monitor you for all of the obesity-related chronic diseases that we mentioned above.  You will benefit from having your doctor follow your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and other important markers for disease.  While you're going through the process of changing your lifestyle and losing weight your doctor may discover that your blood pressure is too high, you already have type 2 diabetes (an estimated six million Americans have type 2 diabetes and don't know it), or your cholesterol is too high.  In these cases your doctor may prescribe medication to control these - that is a good thing and not necessarily a permanent thing.  If you successfully change your lifestyle, and lose weight, you and your doctor may be able to eventually get you off the medication. 

Your doctor will also send you to a registered dietitian who will be very useful in helping you plan your meals and select healthy foods. 

Start exercising, but not until after your doctor has evaluated you for obesity-related diseases and "cleared you" to begin exercise.  Regular exercise is essential for good health and successful long-term weight control.  There is no substitute for regular exercise, you have to do it. 

Don't forget to do all the simple things you've heard about to increase physical activity throughout your day - walk instead of driving whenever you can.  Take the stairs.  Park at the far end of the parking lot when you're shopping.  Turn your breaks at work into mini-exercise sessions by pacing the halls of your office building instead of chowing down on cookies and watching the television in the office break room.  It's all obvious and simple - but people don't do it. 

Form a support group of friends and family who are interested in losing weight and getting healthy.  This is

America - you don't have to look any further than the person sitting next to you to find someone who should be taking better care of themselves. 

Shameless plug for Fitness Rocks - post your story in the Fitness Rocks forum and start building an online support group. 

Finally, don't get discouraged.  This is a long fight - a lifelong fight.  You can be successful if you design a lifelong plan at the beginning.  Weight loss and weight control are not things you do for three months; you do them every day for the rest of your life.  The better you become at doing these things, the longer, and healthier, the rest of your life will be. 

Have a great workout, 

Dr. Monte 

References:

Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension - article from NEJM

Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension with Sodium Restriction - article from NEJM

Mediterranean Diet, Lifestyle and Risk of Premature Death among Elderly European Men and Women

Dietary Supplements and Weight Loss - Not Likely to Help - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

A Descriptive Study of Individuals Successful with Long-Term Weight Loss - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Liposuction Does Not Improve Obesity-Associated Metabolic Abnormalities

In this episode we review a recent medical article from the New England Journal of Medicine about the relationship between overweight, obesity, and the risk of premature death.  Being even moderately overweight carries an increased risk of premature death.

But don't despair; we are also going to review the basics of successful weight loss in an interview with a Fitness Rocks' listener.  Jason is going to share with us how he lost 44 pounds over six months and has maintained that weight loss for almost a year.  It turns out that achieving weight loss, and maintaining that weight loss, is not complicated, at least in Jason's case.

Listen to what Jason has to say about his own experience with successful weight loss - maybe his program of healthier eating and regular exercise will work for you!

References:

Overweight, Obesity, and Mortality in a Large Prospective Cohort of Persons 50 to 71 Years Old - NEJM

Body Mass Index Calculator

Jason's Post in the Fitness Rocks Forum

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - To the Summit

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we talk to Dr. Kirsten Harrell, a psychologist specializing in the field of Positive Psychology.  Dr. Harrell will review with us the basic principles of developing positive attitudes that can help you succeed in your weight loss program as well as developing and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.

Can you harness the power of your thoughts to enhance weight loss?  Can positive attitudes help you stick with a plan of healthy eating and regular exercise?  Listen to the show and hear what Dr. Harrell has to say about attitudes, weight loss, and healthy lifestyles.

References:

Dr. Kirsten Harrell

Positive Psychology Progress - Article

The Science of Happiness - Article from Time Magazine

The Happiness Formula - A BBC News Program on Happiness Research

University of Pennsylvania Authentic Happiness Website

WebMD Article on Positive Psychology

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - Homecoming

Elsie Escobar talks to us about what Yoga is and how to incorporate Yoga into your fitness and wellness program.  What can Yoga do to improve your physical health and your mental health?  Is Yoga an effective way to reduce stress?  What are the different types of Yoga, and which type might be right for you?  How does one get started with Yoga?  Elsie answers these questions and others as we explore the role of Yoga in creating health and wellness on this episode of Fitness Rocks.

References:

Elsie's Yoga Kula

Yoga's potential benefits for people with coronary artery disease

Yoga Journal

Wikipedia Yoga Reference

Natasha Rizopoulos

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - Ridin' West

Listener Call-in Line

(206) 350-0982

Nearly twenty-one million Americans have Diabetes.  Another fifty-four million have "Pre-Diabetes."  That totals Seventy-Five million Americans who either have diabetes, or are at high risk for developing diabetes.  That's almost one in three people - are you at risk?

Can Diabetes be prevented? 

In this episode we define Diabetes, type 1 and type 2, and talk about the devastating consequences Diabetes has on its victims.  We also look at what the medical literature tells us about the role of weight loss, exercise and diet in possibly preventing Diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in America.

References:

National Diabetes Statistics

Diabetes Mellitus and the Risk of Cancer

Diet, Lifestyle, and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women

Beyond Cardiovascular Risk: The Impact of Obesity on Cancer Death

Body Mass Index Calculator

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Gordon Scott - Easy Living

In this episode of Fitness Rocks we explore the role of fat in our diet and its effect on our health.  There are different types of dietary fat including saturated, trans, and unsaturated.  Which of these fats, if any, are good for us, and which ones should we avoid? 

If nuts are mostly fat, and therefore high in calories, should we avoid them in our diet or eat them every day? 

Can high-calorie nuts be a useful part of a weight loss diet?

Find out the answers in this episode of Fitness Rocks.

References:

Nut and Peanut Butter Consumption and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women

Nut Consumption and the Risk of Heart Disease

Nut Consumption and Body Weight

Elsie's Yoga Website and Podcast

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - To the Summit

CORRECTION

In the Podcast I say that Canola oil is a source of omega-3 fatty acids.  It looks like I was wrong.  Canola oil is, however, an excellent source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.  Sorry for the confusion.

Dr. Mary Guarino holds a Ph.D in Apllied Developmental Psychology.  She operates Stellar Self in Washington DC where she works with clients to help them better manage chronic stress and to live fuller, richer lives.  In this podcast I interview Dr. Guarino about her approach to stress management in the very stressed out crowd of people living and working in Washington DC.

References:

Investigating the Mind

Robert Sapolsky, Ph.D

Sonya Lyubomirsky, Ph.D; Happiness Researcher

Richard Wiseman, Ph.D

Jon Kabat-Zin, Mindfulness based stress reduction

Bikram Yoga

Source for Rodney Yee Yoga DVD's

Sedona Method

How Sex Differences in Stress Responses May Provide a New Perspective on the Manifestation of Psychiatric Disorders

Mary Guarino, Ph.D

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Jon Schmidt - All of Me

Listener Call-in Line

(206) 350-0982

This is the first of a two-part series on chronic stress.  This week we will review the basic concepts of what is stress, what is the physiologic stress response, and why is a prolonged stress response bad for you.  We'll talk about how chronic stress affects weight management and how it affects your risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and other chronic illnesses.  Next week we will have an interview with Dr. Mary Guarino, owner of Stellar Self, and an expert in managing chronic stress.  We'll ask Dr. Guarino for her advice on stress management.

Call us at (206) 350-0982.

References:

Do Stress Reactions Cause Abdominal Obesity and Comorbidities?

Protective and Damaging Effects of Stress Mediators

Personality Correlates of Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes

Mary Guarino, PhD

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Black Lab - See the Sun

Listener Call-in

(206) 350-0982

This podcast discusses the role of our genetic predisposition toward weight gain in our modern environment - and what you can do about it.  We also review two medical articles looking at the effect diet has on the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease and Gallstones.  Can eating a plant-based diet (vegetarian, or near-vegetarian) help you lose weight, maintain weight control, and prevent you from getting Alzheimer's dementia and gallstones?  Listen to the show and find out.  Call in your comments at (206) 350-0982.

References:

From Instinct to Intellect: The Challenge of Maintaining Healthy Weight in a Modern World

Fruit and Vegetable Juice Consumption and Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease: A Reference from the National Institute of Aging

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and the Risk of Cholecystectomy in Women

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Laura Clapp - The other half of me

Uncle Seth - I want a little bit more

This week we look at calculating resting energy expenditure, which is similar in concept to basal metabolic rate, and how to use this information to help you lose weight.  We ask the question - do you really need to worry that much about basal metabolic rate? We also answer a question from Dave at ZAP 120 about soy products and how much should you eat.  Finally, I play a song from an upcoming CD by Gordon Scott called Buddha Bill.  Gordon is a musician and a listener from Tiree, Scotland.  You can learn more about Gordon and his music at his blog for which I have provided a link below.

Call us at (206) 350-0982 or send us an e-mail through our contact page.

References:

How Much May I Eat?  Calorie Estimates Based Upon Energy Expenditure Prediction Equations

Eat, Drink, and be Healthy - a book by Walter Willet, M.D.

Total Energy Expenditure Calculator

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Gordon Scott - Buddha Bill

Jonathan Coulton - I feel Fantastic

Listener Call-in Line

(206) 350-0982

On this podshow we talk about stretching and review the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for flexibility exercises.  We also look at weight loss and blood pressure and whether how a person loses weight makes a difference in how much their blood pressure is reduced.  Leave your comments about the show at our listener call-in line (206) 350-0982.

References:

Stretching at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Website

Blood Pressure Change with Weight Loss is Affected by Type of Diet

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Charlie Crowe - Vegas Hard Rock Shuffle

Shelley Jacobson - I wanna be the One

Lazo - Love is on your side

Leave us a Message

(206) 350-0982

In this episode I answer listener questions about what is a healthy weight, and what is "maximum exercise capacity" and why is it important?  I also take to my soapbox about a recent news item regarding the tobacco industry's continued efforts to increase the addictive potential of cigarettes.  The program wraps up with part 2 of the interview with Adam Tinkoff discussing how he successfully lost twenty pounds, and how he stays fit while traveling around the world.

References:

Adiposity as Compared with Physical Activity in Predicting Mortality among Women

Exercise Capacity and Mortality among Men Referred for Exercise Testing

Exercise Capacity and the Risk of Death in Women

Eat, Drink, and be Healthy - Book by Walter Willet, M.D.

Body Mass Index Calculator

MET Calculator

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Laura Clapp - Let it Rain

Jeremy Hopkins - Carolina

Listener Call-in Line

(206) 350-0982

In this episode I play part one of an interview with Adam Tinkoff of the Podcast Burning 20.  We talk about his success in losing twenty pounds and his new-found enthusiasm for running, including training for a marathon.  I also discuss an article that reports on how your cholesterol level changes with the seasons.  Great information, motivation, and music that will make you want to move.  Have a great workout.

References:

Seasonal Variation in Serum Cholesterol Levels

Gordon Scott Blog

Zap 120 Podcast

Burning 20 Podcast

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Watershed - Obvious

Watershed - Can't be Myself

Listener Call-in Line

(206) 350-0982

In this podcast I try to learn how to use my new telephone interview equipment - and fail.  The podcast is an interview with Paul Sorace, a clinical exercise physiologist at Hackensack Medical Center in New Jersey.  Paul recently published an excellent article on the benefits of exercise and diet for lowering cholesterol.  In this interview Paul and I discuss the results of his research for this article.  The interview is absolutely packed with great information regarding lifestyle and cholesterol and what you can do to lower your risk of heart disease.

Please call in comments to our listener line at:

 (206) 350-0982

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials - Natural Man

References:

The Lyon Diet Heart Study

The St. James Women Take Heart Project

Exercise Capacity and Mortality Among Men Referred for Exercise Testing

Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women Through Diet and Lifestyle

Behavioral Versus Genetic Correlates of Lipoproteins and Adiposity in Identical Twins Discordant for Exercise

Effects of the Amount and Intensity of Exercise on Plasma Lipoproteins

Leave us a message at:

(206) 350-0982

In this show I interview runners at the Falmouth Road Race, including running legends Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers.  The theme of the podcast is finding the motivation for fitness.

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

American Heartbreak - Somebody

Bill DeRome - New Year's Resolution

John Schmidt - All of Me

American Heartbreak - Last of the Superheroes

Call in your comments at:

(206) 350-0982

In this episode I do an interview with Mark and Melissa, two people who recently took my Health Makeover Challenge.  We report on their results, including weight changes, and before-and-after lab testing.  The Health Makeover Challenge is an eight-to-ten week program of intensive exericise and dietary change (emphasizing a Mediterranean-style diet) geared toward improving health with weight loss viewed as a side-benefit.

References:

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

Cardiovascular Fitness as a Predictor of Mortality in Men

Adam Tinkoff - Burning 20

Steve Runner - Phedippidations

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

American Heartbreak - 21 and Easy

Barry McCabe - Istanbul Blues

Phone in a message for the show

(206) 350 - 0982

In this episode we discuss dietary supplements and what you should know about the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.

References:

Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

Wellness Letter

Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements and Cardiovascular Disease

What Vitamin Sould I be Taking, Doctor?

Herbal Medicines - What's in the Bottle?

Center for Responsive Politics

Office of Dietary Supplements National Institute of Health

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe jam

Barry McCabe - Peace within

Katy Pfaffl - This ride

Asian Man Records - Summertime

Leave us a message:

(206) 350 - 0982

Women and Heart Disease:

This show reveals the reality that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States - six times bigger than breast cancer!  We also explore the role of a fit lifestyle in preventing heart disease in both men and women.

References:

The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women Through Diet and Lifestyle

Exercise Capacity and Risk of Death in Women

Marital Stress Worsens Prognosis in Women with Coronary Heart Disease

Music:

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam

Matthew Ebel - Wasting my Time

Michael Burks - Heartless

Adrina Thorpe - Fly Fly Fly

References:

National Weight Control Registry

Junk Food Nation

Food Industry Advertising

Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance

Healthy Lifestyle Characteristics Among Adults in the U.S.

IDEA Health and Fitness Association

Body Mass Index Calculator

Music Links:

Charlie Crowe

Matthew Ebel

Beatrice Ericsson

Allison Crowe

Article references:

Coffee and Parkinson's Disease - JAMA

Coffee and liver cirrhosis - Archives of Internal Medicine

Coffee and Type 2 diabetes - JAMA

Coffee and CHD in Women - JAMA 1996

Overtraining - Essentials of Exercise Physiology, second edition, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins McArdle, Katch, and Katch p 128

University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter

Music

Calvin Owens - Coffee Man

Charlie Crowe - Crowe Jam (used as introduction music)

Bill DeRome - Sundial

www.podshow.com

Music links for this episode:

Charlie Crowe

Ian Knapp

Java Musik

Katy Pfaffl

Allison Crowe

Topic references:

The Hidden and Potent Effects of Television Advertising: 

Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter                                

Beans and your heart from Archives of Internal Medicine:               

Vegetarian black bean chili recipe:                            

George Sheehan, M.D.                                                                                  

High Blood Pressure - an article by Monte Ladner, M.D.      

I mention another podcast in my podcast called former fattie.  You can visit this podcast by clicking here.