THE GREATEST MEDICINE OF ALL… IS TEACHING PEOPLE HOW NOT TO
NEED IT
New study proves curves are healthy
By Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.
Over the years, in certain "high society" circles
in places like Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., I often heard women say,
"you can never be too rich or too thin." I often felt like adding,
"or too dumb." And a new study confirms my sentiment.
In fact, according to new research from Oxford University
and Churchill Hospital in the U.K., women who carry a little extra fat in their
"derriere" have lower chronic disease risk AND increased
intelligence.
The human body needs some fat
The study didn't surprise me, as I often report on the
health benefits of having a "rounder" figure. What passes as
fashionable in the popular culture in recent decades looks more like
malnutrition to me. You can't starve the brain and nervous system and expect
superior results.
Of course, fat distribution is also important. And fat
deposits in different places behave differently metabolically.
Overall, belly fat is harmful because it's more
metabolically active, sending fatty contents and messages throughout the body.
Belly fat also releases cytokines, which can lead to insulin resistance,
thereby increasing Type II diabetes risk.
However, carrying some extra weight in other areas of the
body has quite a different effect.
Curves signal good health in women
Fat in the thighs and backside actually supports good
health. In fact, fat below the waist serves as a barrier against Type II
diabetes, heart disease and other conditions linked to obesity. It's also more
stable and releases fewer harmful cytokines.
Having some fat below the waist also appears to benefit
hormonal regulation of appetite and total body weight in women. And evidence
links more fat below the waist with higher levels of omega-3 fats. These
essential fats boost brain function, memory and mental abilities.
Last but not least, a mother with more fat in the lower body
passes these health benefits to her children. In fact, studies show that
children born to women with larger hips are more intelligent too, compared to
those born to women with flatter physiques and less body fat.
Overall, starving the body and brain is not good for anyone.
And being overly concerned with losing a little extra weight is bad for your
physical and mental health.
Moderation in all things — including weight
Don't forget: Not so long ago, and for thousands of years
before, it was considered healthy and desirable to have some meat on your
bones. It was just common sense that being underweight was "sickly."
And decades ago, science linked being underweight with higher
death rates — compared to the happy middle.
The evolution of society's thoughts about "body
image" has drastically altered what is considered a "normal"
body weight, statistics aside.
Time and time again, common sense tells us what we need in
order to be healthy and happy. It's not some arbitrary formula. And it's
certainly not deprivation. It's moderation.
Moderation in all things is the key to health and happiness.
And happiness itself may be a key. Who can be happy while frozen in front of a
mirror, obsessing about body image and pants size? Who can be happy when
counting every calorie, day in and day out? Eating should be one of the most
normative and enjoyable human behaviors. But we make it a struggle.
Living in constant calorie-cutting mode not only isn't fun —
it isn't healthy. The best diets that work over the long term don't focus on
blindly cutting calories but on eating healthy foods, and cutting out unhealthy
"foods" like sugars and carbs.
So strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle with moderate
outdoor exercise and plenty of healthy meats, fatty fish such as salmon, olive
oil, butter, and nuts. And stop worrying if you have a little extra
"padding." Science and history show that it may very well be one of
your best assets.
Five myths about eating meat…Busted!
By Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.
Recently, some so-called "expert" tried to blame
the new coronavirus outbreak on raising cattle for beef. (Well, they tried
blaming meat for everything else already, so why not put more myths out
there?!)
And sadly, as I've learned over my 40-year career, many
Americans just don't know the truth about many different health issues. So,
many of them still worried about eating meat—even before this new coronavirus
myth got started.
But one thing here is starting to become clear: The novel
coronavirus probably did not come from cattle, bats, or even a top-secret lab
in Communist China. Instead, it emerged and arose among humans living in
extremely dense, urban settings.
So, why the confusion? And furthermore—why does beef
continue to get blamed for every health problem under the sun?
Well, today, let's set the record straight about five
ridiculous claims about eating meat…
Five lingering myths about meat
1.) Meat "rots" in your colon.
Some natural
know-it-alls and promoters of vegan lifestyles try to claim that meat
decomposes—or rots—in your large intestine (also known as your colon), causing
all kinds of imaginary ills.
But that's complete and utter nonsense.
Digestive enzymes in your saliva go right to work breaking
down the meat as you begin to chew, just as it does with any other food you
ingest. Then, it passes into your stomach—where strong acids break it down
further into proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Then, your small intestines start to absorb the nutrients,
sending them into the bloodstream and to the liver to be metabolized.
All of this work happens long before the meat ever reaches
your colon. So, there's really nothing left to "rot" there.
On the other hand, indigestible cellulose and plant matter,
like the processed plant matter they put into fake meats, can rot in your
colon! That's because the human gastrointestinal (GI) system simply cannot
break down indigestible plant fibers. So, unlike meat, they can actually get
stuck in your colon.
At that point, the body relies on bacteria to ferment and
decompose these ingestible fibers…again, from plant matter—not meat.
2.) The cholesterol and fat in meat raises your heart
disease risk.
As I often report, the mainstream likes to blame heart disease on
high cholesterol and saturated fat. So, let's address the cholesterol claim
first…
There's never been any evidence to suggest that cholesterol
in foods such as red meat raises blood cholesterol. And there's no evidence to
suggest that lowering blood cholesterol lowers heart disease risk. In fact, on
the contrary, some studies suggest a link between low blood cholesterol and higher
disease risks!
Likewise, experiments show that when you force people to cut
out saturated fats (such as those found in red meat) and replace them with
so-called "heart healthy" processed plant oils (which may reduce
cholesterol), their risk of death actually increases.
Furthermore, some folks also think it's healthier to eat
so-called "white" meat but lamb and other red meats contain many more
healthy, essential fatty acids than do turkey and chicken. So you can put away
all those bland "turkey burgers" and "chicken sausages" and
opt for the real thing after all!
3.) Meat raises Type II diabetes risk.
In a huge
meta-analysis that included data from 20 previously published studies involving
more than 1 million men and women, researchers found no link between red meat
and Type II diabetes (or heart disease).
As I've always reported, meat isn't the problem with Type II
diabetes. Instead, the real culprits are refined carbs, sugars, and highly
processed, "hyperpalatable" foods.
4.) Meat causes cancer.
In recent years, I've seen quite a
few articles in the mainstream press touting some poorly designed studies that
had found eating red meat may slightly, marginally raise the risk of some
cancers.
But researchers recently wrapped up a massive meta-analysis
of 61 previously published studies involving 4 million participants from 55
different populations. And they concluded that concerns about meat causing
cancer (or heart disease) were overblown…and, ultimately, based on poor
science. Furthermore, they concluded that cutting back on meat consumption does
very little to diminish cancer risk.
5.) Meat is bad for bones.
Some natural-know-it-alls cling
to this myth, citing some unfounded, acid-alkaline theory that doesn't hold
water. Granted, some short-term experiments show that increasing protein intake
may lead to some calcium loss from the body. But this short-term effect does
not last. In fact, longer studies show protein has a lasting, beneficial effect
on the bones.
Plus, there's a huge amount of evidence that links a higher
protein diet with better bone density, a lower risk of osteoporosis, and fewer
fractures among older people.
Meat also provides you with much-needed calcium (and
protein) to support your bones and muscles. (Remember, you should always get
your calcium from your diet—not from supplements.) And meat's a rich source of
B vitamins, vitamins D and E, minerals, and amino acids.
All in all, meat can—and should—be part of your healthy,
balanced, Mediterranean-type diet. Just make sure to get it from organically
raised, free-range, grass-fed and -finished cattle.
Surprise: Unhealthy lifestyle tied to Alzheimer’s risk
A combination of healthy lifestyle behaviors is tied to
substantially lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, finds a new study.
Investigators from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago,
reviewed data from two longitudinal study populations involving nearly 3,000
participants. They analyzed the impact of reported behaviors and found that
physical activity, not smoking, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, a
high-quality diet, and cognitive activities were tied to lower Alzheimer’s
risk.
When compared to participants who followed only one or two
of these behaviors, risk was found to be 37% lower in participants who followed
two to three behaviors. And risk was further reduced — by 60% — in those who
reported adhering to at least four healthy lifestyle factors.
“This population-based
study helps paint the picture of how multiple factors are likely playing parts
in Alzheimer’s disease risk,” said Dallas Anderson, Ph.D., from the National
Institute on Aging, which funded the study. “It’s not a clear cause-and-effect
result, but a strong finding because of the dual data sets and combination of
modifiable lifestyle factors that appear to lead to risk reduction.”
The study was published in the journal Neurology.
Until next time, stay healthy and happy
JD Roma
The information on this blog is provided for educational
purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and
medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you
have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a
Naturopath).
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