The Dick Diet

What Makes You Feel Good - Sugar or Protein?

2011-11-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what really makes you feel good? Many people will answer “sugar” because they notice the “high” as sugar is flowing into their blood stream and giving them energy. Of course, we all know what follows - the “low” as the sugar runs out and we crave more sugar to feel good again. As you may have guessed, the correct answer is protein. It makes you feel good for the long haul. Why is this? Because protein is the structural basis for our body - our muscles, organs, glands, nails, hair, vital fluids (blood, hormones, neurotransmitters) and enzymes are all protein based.

We can certainly see the physical nature of proteins – a healthy and strong body contributes to how we feel. But that alone does not do it. We need the mind as well. This is where the neurotransmitters come in to play - the “messengers” from the brain to the body. Protein is essential for building neurotransmitters and their receptor sites on cell membranes. Think of receptor sites as parking spaces and the neurotransmitters as cars. Without a place to park you just keep driving around in circles. Once you are parked you can go about your business. The same goes for neurotransmitters and receptor sites. You need the message to be sent and for it to reach its destination – the cell.

Quite simply – neurotransmitters give us the ability to be happy, alert, remember, and focus. There are two types of neurotransmitters. Excitatory neurotransmitters energize, excite, stimulate, focus, learn, and remember. Inhibitory neurotransmitters keep us happy, relaxed, and peaceful. As with most areas of life, it is all about balance.

There are six key neurotransmitters: For focus - dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine; for learning and remembering – acetylcholine; for feeling relaxed – GABA; and for being happy - serotonin.

Perhaps the most significant of all is serotonin, the “feel good” neurotransmitter. Low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression. The major anti-depressant medications (Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro) are known as SSRIs (or serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors). These drugs work by making serotonin last longer in the brain so that you feel good longer. Of course this is not addressing why one would be low in serotonin in the first place. Low serotonin is also linked to cravings, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, aggressive behavior, and headaches. Another important feature of serotonin is that it converts into melatonin. This hormone regulates sleep and is an important antioxidant. Some sleeping disorders may be from lack of melatonin. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan which is found in turkey and seafood. Also note that serotonin is depleted by high sugar (carbohydrate) diets.

Dopamine is our pleasure and reward neurotransmitter. It is responsible for keeping us focused and alert (thus allowing us to receive our reward!). Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine which is found in poultry, fish (particularly tuna), eggs, beans, nuts and seeds. Epinephrine and norepinephrine work with dopamine and are stimulating and energy-giving. They are made from the amino acids tyrosine and phenylanine. Low levels of dopamine are associated with attention and behavior disorders (such as addiction).

Acetylcholine supports our memory, attention, and ability to think. One of the key ingredients is choline - found in highest quantities in eggs, beef, and beef liver, but also in broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

GABA is our calming neurotransmitter. It is made from the amino acid taurine. Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that can be manufactured from cysteine in the liver, but vitamin B6 must be present. Taurine is found naturally in seafood and meat. Low levels of GABA are associated with panic attacks, anxiety and insomnia.

As you can see protein (and mainly animal based protein) is a key source of the nutrients required to build our neurotransmitters. Unfortunately, many of our diets lack sufficient protein. If we follow the food pyramid or the new food plate we are getting approximately 10% of calories from protein while consuming 60% of calories from carbohydrates. To your body carbohydrates are sugar, so this is a high-carbohydrate diet which depletes nutrients required for building neurotransmitters.

Proteins come from both animal (meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, eggs) and plant sources (whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds). Only animal proteins are considered “complete” amino acids, containing all the essential amino acids. If we are not eating sufficient animal protein, there is a considerable risk of not having sufficient raw materials available to make the neurotransmitters that are so crucial to our mental health. So there are two inherent nutritional risks – first not eating sufficient protein and second not eating enough complete proteins. Since our body is constantly building and repairing itself and our brain is constantly working, it requires a constant supply of protein. Therefore I recommend protein is consumed with each meal. Following this type of diet your protein consumption will be more like 30-35% of daily calories consumed.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He has offices in Thiensville and Glendale, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

The Benefits Of Coconut Oil

2011-11-14T07:09:00.001-08:00

I’ve often spoke of how confusing nutrition can be – one week we hear one news item and the next week the complete opposite. Well, here we go again. Last week the local paper that publishes my articles carried a syndicated article from a Dr. Komaroff “Coconut Oil No Substitute For Healthier Vegetable Oils.” Of course I needed to respond!

If you’ve been reading my articles for the last few years you know this is exactly the opposite of what I’ve been saying. The underlying premise of that particular article is questioning why coconut oil is catching on among the health conscious given that we “know” that saturated fat is bad for us and that coconut oil is one of the highest in saturated fat.

Let’s start with the basics – why our body needs fat and what the different types of fat are and what they do in the body. The bottom line – we need fat but we need the right kind. It is this “right kind” where we find the disagreements.

Fat is used to build our cell membranes and is the starting point for many hormones. It is the saturated fat that is critical to cell membrane structure and ultimately the health of the cell. A less than optimal structure will lead to a less than optimal cell. Hormones direct most of the body’s critical functions. Not enough fat, not enough hormone production. Fat provides the body with energy, and saturated fat is the main source for the heart. Just as glucose fuels the brain, saturated fat fuels the heart.

Fat is required for our body to absorb the fat soluble vitamins – A, D, E, and K. If we are not eating the right fats our body will not utilize these vitamins. Ever wonder why there seems to be this Vitamin D crisis in the country? Everyone you know is told they are Vitamin D deficient. Perhaps they are not getting sufficient fat to utilize the vitamin. This is why I am particularly fond of traditionally produced cod liver oil. It contains the essential fatty acids (Omega 3) that the body needs plus natural Vitamins A and D. All together in one package as nature designed.

Fat regulates body temperature and cushions the organs. It is essential for infant brain development and for the female reproductive system. A woman will not ovulate unless she has sufficient body fat.

There are two types of fats – saturated and unsaturated (further defined as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). Saturated fats are solid while unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are much more sensitive to light and heat. When heated they oxidize forming “free radicals” that damage cells and are linked to a variety of diseases including cancer and heart disease. This is the whole key to fats! Saturated fats can “take the heat” so they are useful in cooking. This is why I recommend butter and coconut oil. These fats will not be oxidized by cooking. It is the unsaturated fats, such as (yes) olive oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil that are damaged when cooking. Olive oil when used in salad dressings and not heated is very healthy, so continue to use it in that manner. Please note the health statistics. Since we’ve been encouraged to use vegetable oils for heart healthy reasons their consumption has increased and so has heart disease!

Another fat we hear of are trans fatty acids. These are formed during the process of hydrogenation. Polyunsaturated oils, usually corn, soybean, safflower, or canola, are heated to high temperatures and injected with hydrogen atoms. During the heating process the nutrients in the oils are destroyed, the oils become solid and have oxidized. Trans fats have been linked to many ailments, including cancer, heart disease, and reproductive problems. Trans fats are commonly found in commercial baked goods, cookies, crackers, margarines, vegetable shortenings, and processed dairy products.

Back to coconut oil. First if you read the aforementioned article closely the author does not ever come up with a reason coconut oil is bad. His only defense is, “Although it seems like it has positive effects on cholesterol, we don’t really know how coconut oil affects heart disease.” This seems a bit odd as the whole argument against saturated fats is that they cause cholesterol to increase which causes heart disease. If you read my articles you know that is a questionable claim as well. But regardless, if you follow his logic, since coconut oil has positive effects on cholesterol, it should therefore have positive effects on heart disease. So how could that be bad?

Here’s the rest of what he didn’t tell you about coconut oil. It is rich in lauric acid - an antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiparasatical, and antiviral substance. It supports thyroid function, skin, heart health, and weight loss. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are converted in the body into quick energy, and are not stored as fat. Coconut oil is the best oil for heating. It can be used in baking and is the best choice for light stir frying or frying.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He has offices is in Thiensville and Glendale. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call (262) 389-9907, e-mail bernie@brwellness.com or go to www.brwellness.com.

Ten Foods to Have in Your Healthy Diet - It's Apple Season!

2011-10-03T06:55:00.001-07:00

Every nutrition consultant has their list. So, here is mine. They are in no special order. They are all healthy foods that I recommend you eat on a regular basis, unless you are allergic. These foods emphasize what lacks in many American diets – vegetables and fruit for vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to fuel our metabolism, and healthy fats that are sources of Omega 3’s and vitamins A, D, and K.

Blueberries are one of the strongest antioxidants according to its ORAC value. ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity and is the rating system used to compare the antioxidant power of foods. Oxygen radicals, better known as free radicals, are destructive molecules found naturally in the body that can damage cells and DNA. We need to include sufficient antioxidants in our diet to effectively neutralize them. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. All berries are great sources of antioxidants. Blueberries freeze well so you can use them year round.

Apples also have lots of antioxidant power and we all know the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples have other benefits. They are a great source of pectin which helps to lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels. And when I talk about apples, I mean the whole fruit. Apple juice is mostly sugar, lacking the fiber you get from the whole fruit. Now is a great time to get local apples – fresh and delicious!

Kale is a leafy green vegetable loaded with Vitamin K, calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C, protein, and fiber. It is best steamed or lightly stir fried. Leafy greens should be a staple in your diet. Others to try are Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, collard greens, and spinach.

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a gluten free whole grain so it is an excellent choice for those who have gluten allergies or are gluten intolerant. It can be made into flour and used in cereals, breads, and pastas. It is loaded with minerals that we need for a healthy metabolism - calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, manganese, zinc, and iron. And a great source of fiber.

Almonds are a healthy source of good fat, protein, and dietary fiber. They make an excellent snack (please, just a handful). They contain no carbohydrates. The main nutrients are phosphorus, Vitamin E, and magnesium. Other nuts for your short list are walnuts and pecans. And men, don’t forget your pumpkin seeds – a great source of zinc for prostate health.

Wild salmon is the way to get our Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory. Salmon is a great source of protein as well. Avoid farm raised or Atlantic salmon. What makes wild salmon healthy and red in color is what it eats in the wild – krill and shrimp that are loaded with antioxidants. Farm raised salmon is not naturally red, a food dye is added. Other good fish sources include sardines, mackerel, eel, and tuna.

Avocado is a fruit, and one of the few fruits that contains fat. It has oleic acid, better known as Omega 9, which lowers blood levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. It also has Lutein, an antioxidant, which is great for eye health. Avocado is a great source of fiber, potassium, folate, Vitamin A, and beta-carotene.

Kefir is one that you may not have heard of. It is a lacto-fermented dairy product. Think of it as drinkable yogurt. Similar to yogurt it contains beneficial bacteria which aid our digestion. However, it also contains beneficial yeast, which can do battle with Candida. Your best bet is to buy plain versions and add your own fruit. If you have a dairy allergy you can use coconut milk or coconut water kefir.

Coconut oil is a healthy saturated fat and the best oil to use when cooking food. It maintains its properties from high heat. Most other oils oxidize from heat, increasing free radicals. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid. That means it is metabolizes faster and is used for energy by the body, and not stored as fat. It also contains lauric acid which is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, and is known to be good for the thyroid gland.

Butter is also a healthy saturated fat, particularly when it is organic and comes from a grass fed cow. It contains the fat soluble vitamins E, K, and D. It also has CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) that helps fight weight gain and butyric acid which is anti-viral and anti-cancer. For those with an allergy to the dairy protein casein, ghee (clarified butter) is an equally healthy option.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He has offices in Thiensville and Glendale. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call (262) 389-9907, e-mail bernie@brwellness.com or go to www.brwellness.com.

The ABCs of Nutrition

2011-09-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

In looking back at the past articles I realized I have neglected this most basic topic – a quick overview of the three critical macronutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

First we’ll look at protein. Protein is the structural basis for our body - our muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, vital fluids (blood, hormones, neurotransmitters), and enzymes are all protein based. It builds and repairs all these tissues and cells.

Proteins come from both animal (meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, eggs) and plant sources (whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds). When we eat protein we are actually consuming amino acids. Different proteins will have different amino acid compositions. Since our body is constantly building and repairing itself, it requires a constant supply of protein. Therefore I recommend protein is consumed with each meal.

The human body is an amazing instrument. There are thousands of things happening simultaneously, every second. To do everything the body does requires energy. The source of the body’s energy is food. Without food the body simply cannot continue to operate for a significant period of time. Both fats and carbohydrates provide energy. But they do it differently. Think of a fire. A carbohydrate is like a piece of paper. You put it in the paper and it burns up quickly and to keep the fire burning more paper is needed quickly. Fat is like a log. It burns smoothly, steady, and for a much longer period of time.

Carbohydrates are one of the more controversial elements of food. You will see heated debates illustrating the benefits of both low carbohydrate diets and high carbohydrate diets. The Standard American Diet (SAD) has become a high carbohydrate diet. The infamous 2000 calorie diet the food pyramid is based on calls for 60% of calories from carbohydrates. We all know how successful that has been! I’m a believer in the low carbohydrate diet.

Carbohydrates provide quick energy. They are converted into blood glucose which feeds our brain and red blood cells. Ever notice how irritable you get when hungry? The brain does not operate very well without nourishment. When most of us think carbohydrate we think grains. They are not the only choice. Vegetables and fruits contain carbohydrates and roughly 30% of protein converts to carbohydrates. In my book, these are the best sources of carbohydrate.

Remember this simple equation. To your body: CARBOHYDRATE = SUGAR! That’s all you need to know. If we consume lots of carbohydrates (like 60% or more of our diet) we consume lots of sugar. While sugar can be used for energy, excess sugar is converted into fat and stored. The bottom line - it is sugar that makes us fat!

Speaking of fat, it is fat that has been unjustly demonized. We have been suffering from a low fat craze for the last twenty years. Everybody (well not really everyone!) has been convinced that fat is bad for us and should be avoided at all costs. So what has happened? We got fatter! Obesity rates are going through the roof.

So, we need fats. They make up cell membranes and hormones, are required for absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), are critical for infant brain development and the female reproductive system, and provide energy.

The Not So Healthy Breakfast

2011-07-25T06:59:00.001-07:00

Previously I described how breakfast is the most important meal of the day and how unfortunately it is a meal that many people tend to skip or short change due to our busy lifestyles. Clients will tell me that they are not hungry in the morning or that they do not have time. We should be hungry in the morning. We have not provided our body with fuel for 8-12 hours, so it should be looking for nourishment to get it going. I have found that not being hungry in the morning is usually part of a vicious cycle of not properly nourishing the body.

Breakfast sets the stage for the day and studies show that “breakfast skippers” are often over weight and/or lack the energy to power them through the day. The previous article included several suggestions for healthy breakfasts. For those of you who missed that article, it is available in its entirety at my blog http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2011/06/start-your-day-with-healthy-breakfast.html

I closed the article with a question, “What’s missing?” There was one specific answer I was looking for which several of you correctly identified. I would like to mention that one caller responded “coffee.” That discussion is for another future article! The specific “food” I was looking for was…cold cereal. I’m sure this may surprise many of you. Want an even bigger surprise – the “whole grain” versions that are now being sold to us as “healthier” may actually be even worse for us! Let me explain.

I’ll start with the basics. Cereals are made from grains. Grains are a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are essentially sugar. We can call them other things, but at the end of the day, when our body finishes its processing, they are sugar. There is a clever way to know how much sugar you are eating. There is approximately one teaspoon of sugar per four grams of a carbohydrate. So, if you see on the food label that one serving (and are you eating just one serving?) contains 20 grams of carbohydrate, you are eating the equivalent of five teaspoons of sugar.

Cereals are made from refined or processed grains. We’ve talked about this before. The most nutritious parts of a grain are the germ and the bran. These are removed during processing to allow for greater shelf life. The current trend in marketing is to promote “whole grain” cereal. Well, there’s a little spin on that as well. This does not mean all the grains in the cereal are whole, it only means that the main ingredient (that with the largest percentage) is a “whole grain.” Therefore, those that are labeled “whole grain” include a substantial amount of processed grains.

Let’s look at some examples. Here are the ingredients in Cheerios: Whole Grain Oats, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Oat Bran, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Oat Fiber, Tripotassium Phosphate, Corn Starch, Wheat Starch, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) Added to Preserve Freshness. Each serving has 20 grams of carbohydrate. If you break this down – there are three ingredients – sugar (the grains and the starches), salt, and preservatives. In each serving you get five teaspoons of sugar. What about Special K? You’ll see it is not so “special”. It has 22 grams of carbohydrate per serving from: Rice, Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Defatted Wheat Germ, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Dried Whey, Malt Flavoring, and Calcium Caseinate. And Frosted Flakes? I’ll spare you the ingredients, but let you know it has 27 grams of carbohydrate per serving – almost seven teaspoons of sugar!

How about the “healthy” cereals? How about one serving of Kashi Go-Lean Crunch with 36 grams of carbohydrates – that’s nine teaspoons of sugar if anyone is counting!

One reader pointed out another item I did not mention – orange juice. Here’s why – one eight ounce glass has 26 grams of carbohydrate – six and a half teaspoons of sugar.

A little more food for thought one serving of skim milk has 13 grams of carbohydrate – another three plus teaspoons of sugar.

Do the math – this “healthy” breakfast of cereal, skim milk, and orange juice can actually be at least fourteen teaspoons of sugar! Not a good way to start the day.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He has offices in Thiensville and Glendale. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Start Your Day with a Healthy Breakfast

2011-06-30T06:00:00.001-07:00

I’m sure you’ve heard it before. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” “Don’t skip your breakfast.” Or the old adage, “Eat breakfast like a King and supper like a pauper.” But are you doing it? And if not, why not?

It is true – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets the pace. A healthy breakfast gets the body’s metabolism up and running. Eating an unhealthy breakfast or skipping it and you are more likely to suddenly get hungry and grab quick things that are unhealthy (donuts and candy) or eat extra food at lunch to make up for missing breakfast. It has been documented that breakfast skippers notoriously struggle to lose weight.

Many people think eating less or skipping meals helps them lose weight. This is another one of those “sounds great, but not true” when it comes to nutrition. What actually happens is that the body is designed to adapt to its environment. If it is not being fed on a regular basis, it enters “starvation mode” to preserve nutrients by cutting back metabolism so it can survive longer. This adaption to a slower metabolism is why low calorie diets fail. Once people are off the diet they go back to how they used to eat, but their metabolism has slowed down. The result is adding the pounds right back on. Remember fat cells do two things – they expand and they multiply – they do not go away!

It is important to eat regular meals and if necessary snacks evenly throughout the day. I find the need for snacks is quite individualized. By consistently nourishing your body through the day, blood sugar levels remain more constant and provide balanced energy through the day. With fewer blood sugar spikes you will experience fewer food cravings.

Here are some examples of my favorite healthy breakfasts. Now is a great time to start with my favorite option the breakfast shake. It is summer time and there is lots of fresh fruit to include in your smoothie. Notice that all the choices have protein and healthy fat in the meal. Vary your breakfast so it does not become routine and boring.

1. Breakfast smoothie – Use a high quality protein powder made from whey and/or brown rice. Do not use soy protein powders and watch out for artificial sweeteners. A basic rule of thumb is to not use powders that say all you need to add is water. Use powders which you need to blend with other healthy ingredients such as: plain whole fat yogurt or kefir, one half banana, one cup of fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries), one tablespoon of flax seed oil or ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds.

2. Some combination of: Yogurt or kefir with fresh or frozen fruit, ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds. (Basically the smoothie above without the protein powder.)

3. Eggs – hard boiled is best followed by soft boiled or poached. Fried and scrambled are also options but do so at a low temperature and use organic coconut oil, butter, or ghee. You can include vegetables as a side dish or as part of an omelet. I like to sauté leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, or chard with onions in coconut oil. Feel free to do eggs 2-3 times per week.

4. Whole grain (please use 100% whole grain products) or sprouted bread toast with butter, ghee, organic natural peanut butter, almond butter, or humus. Limit to 1-2 times per week.

5. If you are really hungry and don’t plan on a mid morning snack you can do a combination of 3 and 4.

6. Steel cut oatmeal, also called Irish Style. These are the real whole oats. You can also add raisins, nuts, seeds, and after cooking, organic maple syrup, or Stevia to sweeten. A cooking tip: On the box it will say to cook for 30 minutes, however if you soak the oats over night in water and even a little yogurt they will cook in about 10 minutes. I’d limit this to 1-2 times per week also.

Now that you’ve read through my suggestions for a healthy breakfast, what do you notice is missing? If you are curious I invite you to give me a call or send an e-mail to find out why I have not included them!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He has offices in Thiensville and Glendale. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Know Your Nutrients - The Fat Soluble Vitamins

2011-04-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Know Your Nutrients – The Fat Soluble Vitamins

Basically there are two types of vitamins – water soluble and fat soluble. Vitamins that stay in the body for a short period of time (generally 2-4 days) are water soluble. These are the B Vitamins and vitamin C. Since they are not stored we need to regularly “re-stock” them. Vitamins that stay in the body for a longer period of time are fat soluble. They are stored in fat tissue, and some organs, such as the liver. These are Vitamins A, D, E, F (the essential fatty acids), and K. Let’s learn about what they do and what foods they are in.

Vitamin A – a.k.a. Beta Carotene

Vitamin A is also known as Beta-carotene. But, it gets confusing - they are not the same! Complete Vitamin A is found only in animal products, such as butter, egg yolks, liver, organ meats and shellfish. Beta-carotene is found in plant food, such as carrots, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and leafy greens (collard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens). And for the animal product to be a good source of Vitamin A, they should be eating green food, such as cows eating green grass. Think of the animal as a Vitamin A factory! When we consume Beta-carotene from plants (or vitamin supplements) our body has to convert it into Vitamin A. And guess what - we aren't that efficient in doing that.

Vitamin A supports the endocrine, immune, integumentary (that's skin), and reproductive systems along with our eyes. It is required for growth and natural repair of many body tissues, and maintains integrity of blood cells and epithelial tissue lining the gut, lungs, and reproductive tract.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D – the “vitamin du jour” as I like to say. It certainly is in the news almost every day and it even has its very own “council” (The Vitamin D Council). I don’t think any other vitamin has achieved that status! Let me cut through the clutter for you – Vitamin D is very important and most of us don’t get enough of it! It is that simple.

When we dive deeper we learn it is a bit more complicated. There are two points I want to make clear to you. You can go to the Vitamin D Council web site for more details. First, there are different “forms” of Vitamin D – and the form we need, particularly if supplementing or added to food is D3. The second, Vitamin D is “fat soluble.” That means you need fat for it to be properly utilized by the body. I pose a simple question – has the low fat diet contributed to our Vitamin D shortages? If you take your Vitamin D pill (even if it is D3) with your cereal and skim milk for breakfast are you really getting anything from it?

Here are some of the key actions of Vitamin D. It helps develop bones and teeth, promotes health bone density, and supports healthy muscle tissue and thyroid function. It also supports the heart and kidneys, and the nervous, integumentary, and immune systems. Pretty much the whole body.

Where do we get Vitamin D? The number one source is the Sun. It is also found in eggs, fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna, and trout), liver, and milk products.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the major antioxidants that our body requires. Did you know that Vitamin E is actually several different compounds? It is made up of alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherol; and alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocotrienol. Here again we run into the synthetic versus natural vitamin issue. If you have a supplement containing Vitamin E read what it actually contains. Most likely it is one of the above synthetic compounds, not the complete Vitamin E as found in nature. Why is this important? There are studies that say Vitamin E does not support the heart function. Read the detail of what they used for Vitamin E. Hint – it wasn’t complete Vitamin E. So, of course it isn’t going to work!

Vitamin E supports a healthy immune system and proper nerve and muscle function. As mentioned above it is also important to the heart and supports circulation through healthy blood clotting. It keeps the skin and hair shiny and healthy. And as an antioxidant, Vitamin E supports tissue regeneration. It benefits the blood, cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, integumentary, nervous, and respiratory systems – looks like almost the whole body!

We can obtain Vitamin E from almonds, leafy greens (collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens), olives, papaya, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and wheat germ oil.

Vitamin F (Essential Fatty Acids)

However, too much inflammation is not good. While our body was designed to consume the Omega 3’s and 6’s in relatively equal amounts (you’ll see anywhere from 1:1 to 2:1 Omega 6’s to 3’s in the nutrition literature), most Americans are in the 20:1 to 50:1 ratio. Why? Omega 6’s are found heavily in grains which we eat and feed to our animals. Omega 3’s are found in cold water wild fish, something not too prevalent in many diets.

An interesting side note here is about beef. Did you know a cow is supposed to eat grass? When a cow eats grass it manufactures Omega 3’s in its fat. When that cow eats what we are feeding it – wheat and corn and other grains – it makes Omega 6’s. Perhaps it is the Omega 6’s in the meat causing inflammation leading to heart disease? Just a wild thought!

The essential fatty acids are the precursors to prostaglandins – a form of hormones that support many functions including normal growth and the inflammatory response. They also assist in blood coagulation and circulatory functions.

Good sources of the essential fatty acids include: black current seed oil, evening primrose oil, flaxseed, lecithin, linseed oil, seafood (halibut, salmon, scallops, shrimp, snapper, and tuna), sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, wheat germ, and winter squash.

One more note here about flax seeds. Beware of the marketing hype! If the flax seed is whole your body can not break it down. We can only work with flax seed in the form of meal or oil. If you buy flax seeds grind them up in a coffee grinder and store them in the refrigerator. As a polyunsaturated fat they go rancid very quickly, so only grind up a small amount. The ground flax you get in the store likely has preservatives added to keep it “fresh”, but the oils are likely already rancid.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K - easy to remember - K is for "clotting", well there is actually lots more to it! Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamins (the others being A, D, and E). While it is best known for clotting, it is also involved in bone mineralization, a critical part of making bone. It also promotes healthy liver function.

But, let's go back to the bone part. We are all familiar with how prevalent osteoporosis is in this country. We are bombarded with the advertisements and the need for calcium supplements to magically cure this condition. As I've mentioned previously it is not just calcium, but there are 18 nutrients required to build bone. One of them is Vitamin K. And guess what? Most people are not getting enough of this vitamin either. It is readily available, but of course you have to like vegetables!

The top food sources are the Cruciferous family of vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. It is also in the dark green leafy vegetables (think kale), eggs, and liver. For optimal health you should be eating these foods daily. Your blood, liver, metabolism, and bones depend on it!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Thiensville. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Diabetes is a major contributor to Erectile Dysfunction

2011-03-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

Every month it faithfully arrives - my latest issue of Diabetes Forecast, the official publication of the American Diabetes Association. And every month I read it and get mad! I posted a year or so ago about the hypocrisy in the publication. Basically, following their advice is a sure way to live your life (however long that may be) with the disease. There is never any word on the people who reverse their situation. It is all disease management, no disease prevention. Please note that all my following comments are related to Type II Diabetes - which virtually all agree is a lifestyle issue and preventable by living a healthy lifestyle.

Each month they provide some feature articles and recipes. This particular month had a feature on 30 ways to control yourself. I loved #25 - be smart about mindless munching. "When you're eating things like chips, instead of eating your way through the bag or bowl, take a napkin and count out one portion. So count out 10 chips. Then, when you're done with them, you tear off the edge of the napkin as a reminder." Come on! Perhaps they should tell people not to eat chips, but to eat real food. And that chips are all carbohydrates that will raise their insulin. Or would that make too much sense?

In addition to the feature articles and recipes they provide us with lots of interesting facts about how prevalent diabetes is. Perhaps so its readers don't feel lonely? Here's the latest - 26 million people in the US have diabetes and 7 million of them are undiagnosed per the CDC. This means 8.3% of the population has diabetes. The estimates of people with prediabetes is 79 million and these numbers have increased substantially. In 2010 there were 1.9 million new people diagnosed with diabetes. What is worse is that Type II diabetes is now appearing in our youths and at younger and younger ages. It leads one to think, how much longer until 25% or more of the population is diabetic. Already 27% of US residents over age 65 have diabetes! I'm sure you can only guess what burden this places on our health care system.

And remember - Type II diabetes is preventable and don't tell the American Diabetes Association, but it is also reversible. Not that I'm a big fan of the Nanny State, telling us what to eat and what not to eat, but that is the issue. What we are putting in our mouths and our children's mouths is making us obese and leading to Type II diabetes. Right now 72.5 million Americans are obese, a leading contributor to deaths from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Annual medical costs associated with obesity are estimated to be as high as $147 billion. Obese people have average annual medical costs that are over $1400 more than people of normal weight people. The latest CDC report finds the number of obese adults increasing, now 26.7% of the population.

I'm concerned. When will we truly begin to care about our health as a society?

Vitamin F - Never Heard of It?

2011-03-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

Vitamin F are the essential fatty acids – better known as the “omega” family, featuring the 3’s, 6’s, and 9’s. These are polyunsaturated fats and whenever we hear the word “essential” in nutrition it means that we must eat these nutrients, as our body does not manufacture them. We need all the essential fatty acids. The issue (like much of nutrition) is balance. For example, Omega 6’s are considered “pro-inflammatory” while Omega 3’s are “anti-inflammatory.” Our body needs inflammation to survive. It is part of its normal processes. However, too much inflammation is not good. While our body was designed to consume the Omega 3’s and 6’s in relatively equal amounts (you’ll see anywhere from 1:1 to 2:1 Omega 6’s to 3’s in the nutrition literature), the simple fact is that most Americans are in the 20:1 to 50:1 ratio. Why? Omega 6’s are found heavily in grains which we eat and feed to our animals. Omega 3’s are found in cold water wild fish, something not too prevalent in many diets.

Vitamin E - Good for the Heart and Blood Flow

2011-03-09T06:07:00.001-08:00

Vitamin E is one of the major antioxidants that our body requires. Did you know that Vitamin E is actually several different compounds? It is made up of alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherol; and alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocotrienol. Here again we run into the synthetic versus natural vitamin issue. Since you likely have a supplement containing Vitamin E (as it is one of the most popular supplements) read what it actually contains. Most likely it is one of the above synthetic compounds, not the complete Vitamin E as found in nature. Why is this important? Well, when you read about the studies that say Vitamin E does not support the heart function read the detail of what they used for Vitamin E. Hint – it wasn’t complete Vitamin E. So, of course it isn’t going to work! And remember our discussion about Selenium? (If not, click here) Selenium is also part of the whole Vitamin E complex.

We can obtain Vitamin E from almonds, leafy greens (collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens), olives, papaya, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and wheat germ oil.

Vitamin D - The Vitamin du Jour

2011-03-07T06:38:00.000-08:00

When we really dive deeper we learn it is a bit more complicated. There are two points I want to make clear to you. If you want more details I urge you to go to the Vitamin D Council web site. First, there are different “forms” of Vitamin D – and the form we need, particularly if supplementing or added to food is D3. The second, Vitamin D is “fat soluble.” That means you need fat for it to be properly utilized by the body. I pose a simple question – has the low fat diet contributed to our Vitamin D shortages? If you take your Vitamin D pill (even if it is D3) with your cereal and skim milk for breakfast are you really getting anything from it?

Here are some of the key actions of Vitamin D. It helps develop bones and teeth, promotes health bone density, supports healthy muscle tissue and thyroid function. It also supports the heart and kidneys, and the nervous, integumentary, and immune systems. Pretty much the whole body.

Where do we get Vitamin D? The number one source is the Sun. It is also found in eggs, fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna, and trout), liver, and milk products.

Potassium - Partner with Sodium

2011-02-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

What does potassium do? It is critical for the ongoing health of every cell in our body. That’s a pretty important job! Along with its partner sodium, the two minerals balance the nutrient and waste exchange of each cell. Potassium is involved in nerve and muscle functioning where it again teams with sodium. It also maintains our body’s fluid balance, electrolyte balance, and pH balance.

Additional functions of potassium include aiding in sugar metabolism, activating enzymes, supporting healthy heart function, and calming the nervous system.

While we often hear of bananas as being a great source of potassium, they are also quite high in sugar. Here are some additional healthy options to get in your potassium: almonds, artichokes, avocado, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, lentils, lima beans, oranges, papaya, pinto beans, prunes, raisins, spinach, sunflower seeds, Swiss chard, tomatoes, wheat germ, winter squash, and yams. Plenty of healthy options!

Magnesium One of the Most Important Minerals

2011-02-21T11:22:00.001-08:00

Magnesium is certainly one of the most important minerals to the body. Here's a short list of what it does:
1. Supports normal acid/alkaline and blood pH balance. Are you in balance? A quick way to check is to get some pH paper and check your saliva and urine. Saliva pH should be around 7.4.
2. Aids in enzyme activation. Enzymes make everything happen in the body!
3. Helps metabolize blood sugar and produce cortisone. Keeping your blood sugar levels under control is the key to health!
4. Supports healthy nerve and muscle function. Works with calcium to keep the nerves firing and the muscles moving! It is involved in nerve signal transmission, muscle contraction, and heart rhythm. Keeps the heart beating!
5. Assists in forming bones and teeth. One of the 18 nutrients I speak of that are critical to bone health.
6. Plays a role in nucleic acid, protein, carbohydrate, and fat synthesis.

As you can see, this is definitely something we need to consume! Magnesium is found in artichokes, beans and seeds (black, green, navy, pinto, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), cashews, broccoli, organ meats, seafood (halibut, salmon, shrimp), spinach, Swiss chard, and tomatoes.

K is for Clotting But Also For Bones

2011-02-20T07:18:00.001-08:00

Phosphorus - While Calcium Gets All the Notoriety This Mineral is Quite Important Too!

2011-02-17T07:41:00.001-08:00

We are bombarded with messages about the importance of calcium for our bones. Well, without phosphorus all the calcium in the world will not do you much good. In fact, it may cause harm if there is too much calcium and not sufficient phosphorus. Phosphorus is the second key mineral by content in our bones. It supports healthy bone formation, energy production, cell growth and repair (remember blood cells are made in our bones), collagen synthesis (that's what helps make the bone), cardiovascular function, and nerve and muscle activity. It is a key part of calcium and sugar metabolism.

What happens when the calcium to phosphorus ratio is out of balance? Too much phosphorus and less calcium causes the body to pull calcium out of its storage spots and we get teeth and bone erosion ultimately leading to osteoporosis. By the way - do you know how many people get too much phosphorus? It comes from drinking carbonated beverages. Phosphorus helps make them bubble! Another reason soft drinks are not good for us, besides the sugar or artificial sweeteners being used. On the reverse, too much calcium and not enough phosphorus causes excess calcium in the tissues. This leads to things like kidney stones, cataracts, and arthritis.

Phosphorus is supporting may body systems including the circulatory, digestive, liver, metabolic, nervous, kidney, and most important the musculoskeletal.

Food sources of phosphorus include almonds, brewer's yeast, eggs, fish (halibut, salmon), glandular meats, lean beef, lentils, liver, milk, peanuts, poultry, pumpkin seeds, wheat bran, and yogurt.

Zinc - Important for the Prostate Gland!

2011-02-15T06:10:00.001-08:00

Zinc we are often told is good for the immune system. True, but apparently viruses like it too! What does that mean? Taking that zinc lozenge may not always be the best idea if it is a virus you are fighting.

Yet, zinc is a very important mineral, especially for men. Zinc is one of the key ingredients for the prostate gland. Men will want to make sure they are getting sufficient zinc. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Zinc supports the formation of many enzymes and insulin. The same insulin we need for blood sugar control. It also assists with wound healing, reproductive organ growth and development, and metabolism of phosphorus, carbohydrates, and proteins. Putting it simply - zinc helps many body processes work.

Zinc also has a special relationship with copper - one of antagonism. That means if your zinc levels rise, your copper levels will decrease, or if your copper levels rise, your zinc levels will decrease. This is very significant for women as too much copper can make them "copper crazy". Too much copper throws hormones out of balance and results in many of the "female symptoms". What gets copper levels high? The big three are birth control pills, copper IUDs, and soy (another reason not to like soy).

Zinc is found in many foods including almonds, beets, carrots, cashews, Cheddar cheese, green peas, lamb, lean beef and pork, liver, milk, mushrooms, peanuts, poultry, pumpkin seeds, seafood (crabs, oysters, shrimp), sesame seeds, spinach, wheat germ, whole grains, and yogurt. Lots of healthy food choices to get your zinc!

Manganese

2011-02-10T06:35:00.001-08:00

Manganese may be one of those minerals that you've never even considered for how important it is for the human body. While calcium gets all the attention regarding bone health, manganese is also very important for bone formation. In fact, there are 18 different nutrients required for the body to build healthy bone. For more on that see my earlier post regarding calcium (Calcium Blog ).

Manganese is also important in the formation and activation of enzymes that metabolize oxygen, carbohydrates, amino acids, and cholesterol. And perhaps even more critical is that manganese is required to detoxify our body from any naturally produced ammonia. Ammonia is poison to the body, so it must be removed.

The blood, liver, immune, musculoskeletal, nervous, and reproductive systems all utilize manganese.

There are lots of food sources of manganese. It is prevalent in nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts), legumes (garbanzo beans, green peas, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans), grains (brown rice, wheat germ, oats, rye), vegetables (beets, broccoli, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes), cloves, liver, nutrtional yeast, pineapple, and raspberries.

Iron

2011-02-08T11:30:00.001-08:00

We're all familiar with how important iron is for the health of our blood. Iron aids in hemoglobin production, which is critical in the transportation of oxygen around the body. Oxygen fuels the body and hemoglobin helps get it around! Iron also supports enzyme formation and function - enzymes too make things happen in the body. The iron containing enzymes are required for energy production and to carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron is also part of the enzyme system that produces DNA - the blueprint of the body - so it is critical in growth, reproduction, healing, and immune function.

Food source of iron include artichokes, beets, broccoli, legumes (garbanzo beans, green beans, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, and pinto beans), mushrooms, organ meats, parsley, pumpkin seeds, seafood (clams, shrimp), sesame seeds, and wheat germ.

Iron is tricky as too little can cause anemia—but too much can lead to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems. Unlike other minerals, excess iron is not excreted from the body. Instead, it’s stored in the tissues, accelerating iron overload indefinitely. To read even more about iron:
http://www.annlouise.com/blog/2011/02/07/iron-is-a-double-edged-mineral/

Selenium

2011-02-07T06:31:00.000-08:00

I'm going to focus the next few posts on more of the key minerals we need to consume. Minerals are important because essentially they make things happen in the body along with enzymes. Without minerals, things don't happen! It is that easy.

Selenium acts as an antioxidant with Vitamin E and aids in DNA and protein synthesis. It is these antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging tissues and cells. It supports a healthy immune system response (keeps you healthy), prostaglandin production (these are hormone precursors), and healthy reproductive, pancreatic, and thyroid functions. If you remember some of my previous comments about synthetic versus natural vitamins, you'll find that real Vitamin E complex contains selenium. Guess what doesn't? Yes, synthetic Vitamin E. Perhaps that is why when "they" do the studies that conclude Vitamin E does not support heart health, if we look closer we learn they are using synthetic and not real Vitamin E. Seems to make a difference.

Selenium is also important in the blood, cardiovascular, endocrine, enzymatic, immune, integumentary, nervous, and renal systems. Essentially it is used throughout the body.

Where to get it? One of the best sources is Brazil nuts. I have 4-5 every morning in my protein shake. Other sources include barley, broccoli, brown rice, lamb, lean meats, milk, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, organ meats, seafood (cod, crab, halibut, salmon, shrimp, snapper, tuna), tomatoes, turnips, walnuts, wheat germ, and whole grains.

Folic Acid or Folate - There is a Difference

2011-02-03T11:00:00.001-08:00

Today's nutrient is Folic Acid, also known as Folate. But, once again (as we've seen with other vitamins), while portrayed to the public as identical, they are not. Humans are not able to make their own folate, so it is something we need to eat. Natural sources of folate include leafy greens (collard greens, spinach), citrus fruits, legumes (black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, pinto beans), liver, eggs, diary products, asparagus, and nutritional yeast.

Folate is critical to the metabolism of nucleic acids and amino acids. Because of this, it supports overall growth and development and blood cell formation and supports normal growth of the fetus. Folic acid was added to many foods to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects, in fact there was a mandate to add folic acid to all cereal grain to products in the US.

So, what was discovered? Well, you guessed it. From the good intentions of the food police we now have several studies suggesting that over consumption of folic acid to colon, lung, and prostate cancers. If you are taking folic acid as a supplement you may want to revisit that and look for companies that use natural folate in their products.

Here's a link to the article in Prevention Magazine explaining this: Prevention Magazine article

Vitamin B12

2011-02-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Vitamin B12 may be one of the most important of all the B vitamins, particularly because only true humanly usable B12 comes from animal sources. Yes, to all my vegetarian and particularly vegan friends, watch your B12 levels. There is no such thing as "vegan" or "vegetarian" B12 as far as your body goes. It needs along with it what is known as "intrinsic factor" which comes from animals. Fortunately B12 (as other B vitamins) will store in the body, but over time this may become a deficiency. In fact, a good friend of mine, after years of being a vegetarian has reintroduced more animal product into her diet after seeing a live blood analysis showing a lack of B12 and a move towards anemia.

So what does B12 do? It is a co-factor for two, yet very important enzymes. One is used for methionine metabolism. Methionine is an essential amino acid. The other enzyme aids in producing energy from proteins and fats. Overall B12 supports the nervous system, promotes the maturation of red blood cells (hence the tie to anemia when deficient in B12) and other cells, and supports bone and joint health.

B12 is available from animal products such as fish (halibut, salmon, scallops, shrimp, and snapper are best sources), lamb, beef, organ meats, and yogurt. It is important for the blood, digestive, hepatic, and nervous systems.

Vitamin B6

2011-01-28T13:52:00.001-08:00

We're back to the B Vitamins today with B6. Like all the other B family vitamins it plays a big role in our metabolic reactions, specifically amino acid metabolism (making proteins for your body to use in building itself) and glycogen utilization (blood sugar control). It is also involved in supporting the production of hormones and neurotransmitters - the chemicals that are directing all your body's activities.

B6 supports the blood, central nervous, digestive, immune, integumentary, and musculoskeletal systems.

It is found in bananas, fish (cod, halibut, snapper, salmon, tuna), lean beef, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, organ meats, poultry, and wheat germ.

Are you noticing how the B vitamins are so prevalent in animal foods? Wait until we discuss the next B vitamin - B12!

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid is not Vitamin C)

2011-01-25T06:44:00.001-08:00

We' are all familiar with getting out our Vitamin C when we feel a cold coming on as it is known to enhance immune cell function. Sometimes it works in keeping the cold at bay, other times not. In addition, we hear varying stories about the effectiveness of "Vitamin C." Well, the first and most important point to understand is that Ascorbic Acid is not Vitamin C - it is just the outer layer of the Vitamin C complex (remember how I spoke of the 20 factors of the Vitamin B complex? - the same applies here). We all remember the story of the British sailors who would get scurvy until they started eating lemons and limes. It was the Vitamin C content of those fruits that saved them. In fact, if you were to give someone with scurvy some ascorbic acid, guess what would happen? Yes, they would die of the disease. You see it is the whole Vitamin C with all its parts that does the magic, not the isolated ascorbic acid. By the way you can make your own ascorbic acid if you like - just mix together sulphuric acid and sugar - now that sounds real healthy!

The other benefits of Vitamin C - it is an antioxidant, so it kills those free radicals to prevent damage to our cells and tissues. It is also involved in forming collagen which is in our connective tissue. It also facilitates iron absorption and assists in cholesterol metabolism. So it is helping the blood, cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems.

The best sources of Vitamin C are not your ascorbic acid pills! It is found in Acerola berries, broccoli (yes, another reason to eat your broccoli), Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, kiwi (an excellent source), oranges, papaya, red bell peppers, and strawberries.

Choline

2011-01-24T06:21:00.001-08:00

A little known nutrient - choline - is actually extremely important as it is part of lecithin which is a key structural component of all cell membranes. It is quite certain that any substance that is in every cell in our body would be quite important. It is involved in cell metabolism, nerve transmission, and regulation of the liver and gall bladder.

Are you getting enough choline in your diet? It is found big time in the cruciferous family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), butter, egg yolk, flaxseed, lentils, peanuts, potatoes, oats, sesame seeds, and soybeans. You will often see lecithin from soybeans in nutritional supplements. One of the few useful applications of the soy bean!

Choline supports the cardiovascular, biliary, endocrine, integumentary, nervous, and renal (kidney) systems.

Chromium

2011-01-21T06:58:00.001-08:00

Today we explore chromium, another important mineral nutrient. Chromium is involved in metabolism as it supports insulin function in the body. In this way it helps in glucose and protein metabolism. What does this mean to the average person? In short, it helps us control blood sugar levels. This is one of the most important functions in the body, and much of what our body does, is about keeping blood sugar levels constant. We get ourselves into trouble when blood sugar levels stay consistently too low or too high, or when they bounce back and forth (like the sugar high). Therefore, chromium has also been found to help with weight control and managing cholesterol.

Chromium supports the blood, cardiovascular, circulatory, endocrine, hepatic, immune and nervous systems. As you can see - almost the whole body! It is found in cheese, liver, nutritional yeast, onions, Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, vegetable oils, and whole grains. It's common supplement form is chromium picolinate.

Calcium

2011-01-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Calcium is one of the most talked about minerals and for good reason. It supports strong bone structure, teeth, and muscle tissue, aids in blood clotting function, supports cardiovascular and nerve functions, and helps in normal functioning of many enzymes. We often hear about it in conjunction with osteoporosis. Everyone needs more calcium to build their bones, so everyone is throwing down a whole bunch of calcium supplements. Well, there's a couple of problems.

First off - is the biggest one. While it is true that we need calcium to build our bones, it is one of 18 nutrients that are required. And let's get a little better understanding of how our bones work. They are constantly breaking down and rebuilding. What happens in osteopenia and osteoporosis? The breakdown process continues, but the bone does not rebuild. Why? One reason is the lack of the other nutrients required to build bone. What happens when we take certain medications for this? The breakdown is slowed down, so the bone density scan will show more bone, however, it is weak bone and still likely to fracture. There are many other resources you can go to read more on this.

Second - most of the calcium in supplements is not very absorbable for our bodies. We need to be able to utilize the calcium we take in. One of the more absorbable forms of calcium is Calcium Lactate.

What else contributes to our calcium shortages? Soft drink (soda) consumption. What makes soft drinks bubble? Phosphorus. And, phosphorus and calcium need to be in a specific relationship in our body. So, when we take in excessive phosphorus and don't have sufficient calcium intakes, our body must take it from a storage location. You guessed it - the bones!

The best sources of calcium are of course from food. It is also a misconception that this has to come from milk. Leafy green vegetables are a great source of calcium. For calcium choose: bone meal, cheese (best are Cheddar, mozzarella, and Swiss), collard greens, flaxseed, liver, milk, molasses, mustard greens, sesame seeds, spinach, turnip greens, wheat germ and yogurt.

Calcium benefits many systems of the body: blood, circulatory, digestive, enzymatic, immune, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems.

Vitamin B3 - Niacin

2011-01-18T08:23:00.001-08:00

Vitamin B3, also called Niacin, is one of the most important of the B vitamins. We often hear it recommended for cardiovascular health, but it is also important for digestive health as it promotes hydrochloric acid production. Did you know that most people who suffer from acid reflux actually do not produce enough hydrochloric acid? The "acid" of acid reflux is usually organic acids produced by foods rotting and fermenting in the stomach due to poor digestion.

Here's the technical detail: Niacin is converted to the co-factor NAD which is an important part of how our body processes carbohydrates, fats, and protein (amino acids). It promotes a healthy heart, skin, digestion, cellular respiration, and enhances metabolism and circulation.

You can get too much Niacin, particularly from synthetic sources. How do you know? You get what is called the "niacin flush" - your face and ears become red and hot. I recently experienced this myself and was able to trace it back to this very source.

Niacin supports the cardiovascular, digestive, hepatic (liver), integumentary, and nervous systems. It also supports the soft tissue and the tongue.

The best food sources of Niacin are: fish (salmon, tuna, halibut), lean beef, liver, mushrooms, nutrtitonal yeast, organ meats, poultry, and wheat germ.

Are you noticing a trend - the best sources of B vitamins are mainly from animal products. Keep that in mind when we get to B12 in a few days!

Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin

2011-01-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

Vitamin B2, better known as Riboflavin, is an integral part of enzymes involved in oxidation reduction reactions that drive cell respiration. What does that mean? It is critical in our cell making energy for our body. It also supports the function of antioxidant enzymes and interacts with the other B vitamins. It promotes a healthy immune system and regulates the activity of 50 of our enzymes. Wow! Remember enzymes are what make things happen in our body. They drive everything we do. This is why Riboflavin is often one of the B Vitamins added back into our "enriched" wheat flour, but as you remember from the B1 discussion, this is synthetic and our bodies need the real stuff.

We get the "real stuff" in lean beef, milk, mushrooms, nutirtional yeast, organ meats, spinach, wheat germ, and yogurt.

Vitamin B2 supports the cardiovascular, blood, digestive, endocrine, integumentary, and nervous systems as well as our soft tissue.

Vitamin B1 - Thiamine

2011-01-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Today's Vitamin of the Day is B1, also known as Thiamine. Did you know that the true Vitamin B complex actually has about 20 different parts to it. We know these as all the different B's. One of the main foods that have the B family are whole grains. Let's use wheat as the example. There are three parts - the germ, the bran, and the endosperm. The germ and bran have the B vitamins as well as some healthy fats. The endosperm is the carbohydrate. When they make refined flour, the main ingredient in white bread and cookies all that gets used is the carbohydrate. But the food manufacturers are nice to us and they "enrich" the flour with up to 8-12 synthetic B vitamins. Doesn't sound like enriching to me - take away 20 and give back 8!

B1 is a required cofactor for some very important enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. This supports mental alertness and cognitive ability. It also maintains appetite and normal digestion. It aids the cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary (skin), and nervous systems along with the eyes.

You can find B1 in black beans, brown rice (not white), green and split peas, lentils, lima beans, mushrooms, navy beans, nutritional yeast, organ meats, pinto beans, sunflower seeds, tuna, wheat germ, and whole grains.

Vitamin A a.k.a Beta-carotene

2011-01-13T12:51:00.001-08:00

Vitamin A is also known as Beta-carotene. However, here is where it gets confusing - they are not the same! True Vitamin A is found only in animal products, such as butter, egg yolks, liver, organ meats and shellfish. Beta-carotene is found in plant food, such as carrots, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and particularly leafy greens (collard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens). And for the animal product to be a good source of Vitamin A, they should be eating green food, such as cows eating green grass. Think of the animal as a Vitamin A factory! When we consume Beta-carotene from plants (or vitamin supplements) our body has to convert it into Vitamin A. And guess what - we aren't that efficient in doing that. To learn all about Vitamin A click here.

Vitamin A supports the endocrine, immune, integumentary (that's skin), and reproductive systems along with our eyes. It is required for growth and natural repair of many body tissues, and maintains integrity of blood cells and epithelial tissue lining the gut, lungs, and reproductive tract.

Healthy Breakfasts – Part II – Foods to Avoid

2010-10-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

Previously I described how breakfast is the most important meal of the day and how unfortunately it is a meal that many people tend to skip or short change due to our busy lifestyles. Breakfast sets the stage for the day and studies show that “breakfast skippers” are often over weight and/or lack the energy to power them through the day. The article included some suggestions for healthy breakfasts. For those of you who missed that article, it is available in its entirety at my blog http://thedickdiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/start-your-day-with-healthy-breakfast.html.

I closed the article with a question, “What’s missing?” There was one specific answer I was looking for which several of you correctly identified. I’d like to share that information with you. The specific “food” I was looking for was…cold cereal. I’m sure that may come as a surprise to many of you. Want an even bigger surprise – the “whole grain” versions that are now being sold to us as “healthier” may actually be even worse for us! Let me explain.

What about the “healthy” whole grain cereals. In order to get all the fancy sizes and shapes all cereals go through extensive processing based on high heat and high pressure. These processes destroy the nutrients. With whole grains it may be even worse. Whole grains still contain the proteins and polyunsaturated fats that are in the bran and germ. So, when we eat whole grain cereals, we are not only consuming the sugar from the carbohydrate, but damaged fats and proteins from the high heat and pressure processing. Damaged fats create free radicals which cause damage to our cells.

As a side note, one of the more popular brands of the “healthy” cereals is Kashi. One serving of Kashi Go-Lean Crunch contains 36 grams of carbohydrates – that’s nine teaspoons of sugar if anyone is counting! It also contains some other not so healthy stuff as well.

One reader pointed out another item I did not mention – orange juice. Here’s why – one eight ounce glass has 26 grams of carbohydrate – six and a half teaspoons of sugar.

A little more food for thought one serving of skim milk has 13 grams of carbohydrate – another three plus teaspoons of sugar.

Do the math – this “healthy” breakfast of cereal, skim milk, and orange juice can actually be at least fourteen teaspoons of sugar! Not a good way to start the day.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call (262) 389-9907, e-mail bernie@brwellness.com or go to www.brwellness.com.

Start Your Day with a Healthy Breakfast

2010-10-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Many people think eating less or skipping meals helps them lose weight. Not always. The body adapts. If it believes it is starving it will cut back metabolism to conserve energy. This is the main reason 95% of diets ultimately fail. Once people are off the diet they go back to how they used to eat, but their metabolism has slowed down. The result is adding the pounds right back on.

It is important to eat regular meals and if necessary snacks evenly throughout the day. This keeps blood sugar levels more constant providing you balanced energy through the day. With fewer blood sugar spikes you will experience fewer food cravings.

Another pitfall to proper eating is having a large dinner or snacking late at night. What happens? The food is not digested well. When you are sleeping, your body is not thinking about digestion and a lot of food complicates the process even more. Poor digestion is at the root of many ailments – such as acid reflux, gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Plus, you are more likely to wake up feeling full and not be hungry for breakfast starting the whole cycle over again. As a general rule it is best not to eat within three hours of going to sleep.

Here’s some examples of my favorite healthy breakfasts. Notice that all the choices have protein and healthy fat in the meal. Vary your breakfast so it does not become routine and boring.

1. Breakfast shake – Use a high quality protein powder made from whey and/or brown rice. Do not use soy protein powders. My favorite is SP Complete from Standard Process. To make the shake even healthier add any or all of the following: plain whole fat yogurt or kefir, banana, fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries), flax seed oil or ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds. If you’d like an antioxidant boost and struggle to get in all your vegetables during the day I’d recommend adding in a green or red powder such as Designs for Health Paleo products.

2. Some combination of: Yogurt or kefir with fresh or frozen fruit, ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds. Optional: sprinkle Designs for Health Paleo products, one teaspoon of organic maple syrup, or Stevia to sweeten.

4. Whole grain (please use 100% whole grain products) or sprouted bread toast with butter, ghee, organic natural peanut butter, almond butter, or humus. Limit to 1-2 times per week.

5. If you are really hungry and don’t plan on a mid morning snack you can do a combination of 3 and 4.

6. Steel cut oatmeal, also called Irish Style. These are the real whole oats. You can also add raisins, nuts, seeds, and after cooking the Paleo products, organic maple syrup, or Stevia to sweeten. A cooking tip: On the box it will say to cook for 30 minutes, however if you soak the oats over night in water and even a little yogurt they will cook in about 10 minutes. I’d limit this to 1-2 times per week also.

ED and Heart Disease

2010-03-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article from CNN Health:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/15/erectile.dysfunction/index.html?iref=allsearch

Erectile Dysfunction - World Wide Epidemic?

2010-03-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

Well, that probably caught your eye! I wouldn't say it is a world wide epidemic, at least we haven't been told that yet by the people who tell us such things. However, it certainly is a problem. Just ask the millions of men (and women) whose lives have been affected.

The ground breaking study on the incidence of erectile dysfunction in the United States was the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) conducted between 1987 and 1997. Men between the ages of 40 and 70 were interviewed in 1987-1989 and reinterviewed in 1995-1997. Results of this study indicated that 52% of men suffered from either "minimal, moderate or complete impotence" with "the prevalence of complete impotence tripling from 5 to 15% between subject ages 40 and 70." That means the older the man was, the higher the likelihood.

Given that this study is now over 10 years old my suspicion is that these numbers are even higher today. And I must be right as every day I hear an advertisement on the radio telling me that erectile dysfunction is normal! Believe me, it is not normal, men were not designed that way. It is a function of our lifestyle, just as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are.

The worldwide incidence of erectile dysfunction is estimated at over 152 million men, with a forecast of 322 million men by the year 2025. A European study in Vienna of 2,869 men between the ages of 20 and 80 found 32% of their sample have some level of erectile dysfunction. A Canadian study of 3,921 men between the ages of 40 and 88found that 49.4% of men sampled have some level of erectile dysfunction. An Australian study of adult males in 2002 indicates that 39% reports some degree of erectile dysfunction and 18.6% experience severe erectile dysfunction.

Studies show that older adults continue to desire sexual intimacy when there is a partner and health status that allows this behavior. A study in 29 countries consisting of 27,000 men and women aged 40 to 80 reports, “Only 17% of men and 23% of women said ‘older people no longer want sex.’” In fact, experts concur that if all systems are go men can enjoy sexual intercourse well into their 90s.

The Dick Diet - Contents of the Book

2010-02-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here's a preliminary outline of the book chapters:

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction is described as a major health issue confronting a sizeable and growing population of men in the United States and throughout the world. The chapter defines erectile dysfunction, how it is measured and presents the author’s primary research findings. The purpose of the book - to encourage men to live healthier lifestyles is explained. The study of the nutrition and lifestyle habits and the sexual function of male respondents illustrates the magnitude and true nature of the problem and why this is an important work. The introduction concludes with chapter overviews.

Chapter 1 – Getting It Up: This chapter explains the anatomy and physiology behind how the erection process works. The physical processes (anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system, nervous system and endocrine system) and the mental and emotional processes are detailed. How the erection process is designed to work and where it can go wrong is explored through a discussion of the types of erectile dysfunction and an understanding of the origin of the chemicals required for healthy functioning and what foods produce them. Most men (and women) are completely unaware of the complexities of this process and the fine tuning involved.

Chapter 2 – Keeping It Up: This chapter describes the risk factors associated with erectile dysfunction. It describes what they are and how they relate and compare to one another. An analysis and discussion is presented of each: age, alcohol consumption, diet, male hormones, inflammation and obesity, sedentary lifestyle, cholesterol, prescription drugs, smoking, stress, motorcycle riding, vascular diseases (endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular disease), metabolic syndrome, diabetes, neuropathy, depression, lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate conditions.

Chapter 3 – The Dick Diet Foods: nutritional therapies for erectile dysfunction: In this chapter the first element of The Dick Diet is introduced – food. The Dick Diet foods and consumption guidelines are described. Rosen’s Five Rites of Nutrition are introduced and explained. We are what we eat, we are what we eat eats, we are what we digest, we eat what we are, and the importance of balance and moderation. The relationship of specific foods to specific chemicals needed by the body for the erection process to work efficiently is described.

Chapter 4 – The Dick Diet Supplements: herbal and supplement therapies for erectile dysfunction: This chapter provides an explanation of the various herbs and supplements that are used around the world to treat erectile dysfunction. Herbs discussed are: ashwagandha, ginkgo, ginseng, horny goat weed, maca, rhodiola rosea, saw palmetto, tongkat ali, tribulus, and yohimbe. Supplements discussed are: L-arginine, Omega 3 fatty acids, and anti-oxidants (pycnogenol, grape seed extract, red wine extract, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E). The reader will learn what they are, how they work, why they work. This chapter will also include a discussion of allopathic treatments such as devices, surgeries and pharmaceuticals and why natural therapies are preferred.

Chapter 5 – The Dick Diet Lifestyle: exercise and relaxation therapies for erectile dysfunction. This chapter will explore the importance of both exercise and relaxation and how they relate to erectile dysfunction. Exercise techniques such as cardiovascular training, burst training, and yoga are discussed along with breathing and meditation techniques for relaxation.

Chapter 6 – The Dick Diet: sample diet and menus.

Conclusion

New Logo for The Dick Diet

2010-02-23T07:55:00.001-08:00

What do you think of the new logo?

The Dick Diet - The Book is Coming

2010-02-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm working on a book called The Dick Diet which this blog will accompany. The book is an active project so many of the posts will highlight what I am writing about. Here's a quick summary of what the book is all about:

•The purpose of the book is to show the relationship between nutrition (defined as diet, supplementation, exercise, and relaxation) and men’s health (specifically erectile functioning). The goal is to encourage men to take action and follow this plan to optimize their health and sexual performance.

•The core message regarding the association between nutrition and erectile dysfunction is compelling enough to get a man’s (and a woman’s) attention.

•There are other books on the market about erectile dysfunction. This book is decidedly different. While other books focus on medical treatments (surgeries and pharmaceuticals) for erectile dysfunction, this book focuses on prevention and natural remedies including healthy food, nutritional supplements, and herbs.

•It is my belief that current messages warning of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer from lifestyle have not been effective in changing behavior. It is my belief that delivering the message through the vehicle of their very “manhood” will drive it home and behavioral changes will occur.

•The book will help men improve their overall health and encourage men to accept responsibility for their own health. It will provide alternative ideas to medications for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

•The book is not intended to be a “diet” book or a “cook” book, although it will contain dietary and cooking advice. This is not a “diet” but a way of life.

Erectile Dysfunction is not caused by aging

2010-02-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

Erectile dysfunction is not caused by aging. So, guys (and gals) don't accept someone telling you, “it is because you're getting old”. Studies show that disease (and erectile dysfunction) is not a function of age, but of overall health. Age only becomes important if you've been proliferating bad habits over an extended period of time.

Erectile dysfunction means you are not healthy. It is a major warning signal for other diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease. Studies show a direct correlation between ED and CVD. So, if you've got ED, you might want to get your heart checked out. In a way, ED is the body’s way of not allowing reproduction. The body is inherently smart. It knows that you (the daddy) need to be healthy and around for the child to have an optimal upbringing.

Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction - The Link

2010-02-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why there seem to be so many advertisements for erectile dysfunction (ED) medication - Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra - on television and in the magazines you are reading? I did, and began an investigation that would ultimately become my Doctoral dissertation. The reason is quite simple – there is a lot of erectile dysfunction (ED). Over 30 million men in the United States suffer from it. ED affects over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 and the incidence of complete ED triples between those ages. Even more disconcerting, experts expect cases of ED to more than double over the next 25 years.

Erectile dysfunction imposes significant social costs. It impacts a man’s satisfaction with his life and his relationship with others. Studies show that sexual intimacy is desired by older adults. A study in 29 countries consisting of 27,000 men and women aged 40 to 80 found less than 20% of the respondents agreed with the statement “older people no longer want sex”. Due to the rising incidence of erectile dysfunction many couples will not be able to enjoy healthy sexual relations in their later years.

Why is erectile dysfunction on the rise? Many researchers, including this author, believe it is a direct result of poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices. For many years it was thought that ED was mostly psychological, but recent studies have shown that over 80% of ED is due to physical causes. For the erectile process to function correctly several systems of the body need to be healthy – blood needs to be flowing smoothly and unobstructed throughout the body, nerves need to be firing and sending messages between the brain and the relevant body parts, and libido needs to be present to encourage sexual interest. All of these systems require proper nutrition to correctly function.

To better understand the causes of ED we can look at the scientifically documented risk factors. Risk factors related to lifestyle choices include alcohol consumption, diet, hormone levels, inflammation, obesity, sedentary (lack of exercise) lifestyle, cholesterol levels, use of prescription drugs, tobacco smoking, stress, and (yes) motorcycling. There is also a strong association between ED and the medical diagnoses of depression, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Studies show that most men with ED suffer from these conditions which are often a direct result of the same lifestyle choice risk factors previously listed. In fact, the connection has been made that ED is often a warning sign for cardiovascular disease.

So, how is this all related to diet and nutrition? For the body to operate optimally it needs the right nutrients. Many studies have shown the connection between a poor diet and all the risk factors and conditions listed above. Diets that are high in sugars, refined grains, processed meat and dairy; while low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats produce these conditions. Once men are placed on healthier diets, their symptoms of ED are reduced and often completely eliminated. Through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and sometimes with the help of specific supplements proper erectile functioning can be restored.

Many people will ask, “What’s wrong with using medications”? My answer is while the medications will work in most cases, there are side effects, some of which can be quite dangerous. But even more important, the medication is not repairing the underlying condition. Erectile dysfunction is your body telling you that something is not quite right and needs your attention. It is your warning sign to take action before a more serious or life threatening event occurs.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Welcome to The Dick Diet Blog

2010-01-31T07:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Dick Diet blog site. I'm sure you are asking - what is this all about? Quite simply - it is about men's health and one of the most prevalent issues facing men (and women) today. It is about erectile dysfunction and nutrition. Did you know that over 50% of men over the age of 40 suffer some from some form of ED? And did you know that nutrition plays a major role in both causing ED and in reversing ED?

Where did this all come from?

Here's my story: Several years ago I began my own journey to better health. Along the way I've lost over 45 pounds and have never felt better than I do now. I no longer have an allergy triggered asthma every fall. I no longer have to get up several times during the night to go to the bathroom. I no longer have to worry about where the closest bathroom may be! All of this has come from cleaning up my diet and bringing my life into better balance. I have learned what good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can do for the body and the mind as well.

Over this same period I transitioned from the life of a corporate executive to that of a small business owner. During the latter years of my corporate life I began to make the changes to a healthier lifestyle and I'll always remember the comments I would get from other men about what I was or was not eating and drinking. My favorite quote was, "I'm going to eat what I want and then I'll have the big one." Back then I would just smile. It was only once I left that world that I realized what my answer should have been. "Well, you better hope it kills you, but most likely they're going to keep you alive and your quality of life will suck."

But that pretty much reflects the male attitude about health. Even today the majority of my clients are women. Why is it that men have less awareness around their health and seem to be waiting for the big one? Why is it that they don't seem to care about the risk of cancer or diabetes or heart disease or stroke? Why does it have to happen before they "see the light".

Then I thought to myself - what if I could identify something that they would care about and something that they would not want to lose? As they say - it always comes back to sex! Coincidentally, I needed a topic for my dissertation for my PhD. I wasn't sure what to research, but noticed the unending commercials about ED. It didn't take me long to put 2 plus 2 together. These companies were spending a lot of money to advertise. There must be some underlying issue. That's when I started my research and discovered the 50% number referenced above.

Through this blog I'll communicate what I have learned about erectile dysfunction and educate you as well. Each week I'll create a new post. I invite you to come along for the ride!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.