I always urge my clients to use caution when consuming sugar and artificial sweeteners. Their response is always, “What should I use as a sweetener?” Stevia, a substance derived from the leaves of the Latin American herb stevia and hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, is one of the products on my list of approved sweeteners. Stevia is approved by the FDA as a dietary supplement, not a food additive. Opinions on stevia have varied over the years because in the 1960’s there were a couple of animal studies that suggested stevia might cause reproductive probelms or cancerous mutations. Although the studies were questioned and stevia was safely used and accepted in Japan, U.S. regulators put an import ban on it in 1991. In 1994 the ban was lifted and stevia was classified as a dietary supplement. Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have recently developed a new line of beverages sweetened with stevia. Last month the U.S. News & World Report featured an article on Stevia. The article focused on the recent surge in interest on this product, especially among food and beverage companies. For more information on this article, please visit http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/07/28/the-zero-calorie-sweetener-stevia-arrives.html
New York City is the first city to implement a new law which forces chain restaurants to post the calorie count of each food in the same size and font as the price. It seems New Yorkers are experiencing quite the sticker shock! Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and T.G.I. Friday’s were the first chains to implement the new law. Starting Friday, the city will start fining restaurants anywhere from $200 to $2000 for violating this new law. For more details please visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987/.
Cholesterol Drugs for Kids Could Reduce Heart Attacks in Adulthood
ARTICLE: 
Kids should get screened for cholesterol — and some as young as 8 should get cholesterol-lowering drugs. Those are the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which today published a new set of guidelines on lipid screening (online here).
The guidelines point out that atherosclerosis — the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart disease — begins in childhood. And, they note, more than 10% of kids have total cholesterol levels over 200 mg/dL, which is “a level of concern in adults.”
For the many kids with high cholesterol who are overweight, shedding pounds should be the first course of action. Switching to reduced-fat milk after overweight kids hit 1 is also a good idea. A low-fat diet makes sense for all kids older than 2.
Kids with very high bad cholesterol, or LDL — 190 without other risk factors; 160, if other risk factors are present; 130 in kids with diabetes — should also change their diet to eat fewer saturated fats. If that doesn’t work, cholesterol lowering drugs such as statins may be appropriate.
“If we are more aggressive about this in childhood, I think we can have an impact on what happens later in life … and avoid some of these heart attacks and strokes in adulthood,” Stephen Daniels told the AP.
Daniels, a Colorado pediatrician who was one of the authors of the guidelines, has consulted for Abbott and Merck, but not on matters involving their cholesterol drugs, the AP said.
MY OPINION: In today’s Wall Street Journal there is an article about a doctors group that now recommends cholesterol drugs for kids. The doctors group is recommending that some children as young as 8 years old be given cholesterol fighting drugs to ward off future heart problems. Treatment would generally be targeted for kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL “bad” cholesterol, along with other risky conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure.
Whatever happened to taking a look at our diet, lifestyle and other contributing factors to health issues? In my opinion, there is something very wrong with recommending cholesterol lowering medication to children. All drugs have side effects! Maybe we should educate ourselves on the foods we are consuming. Is it really necessary to have hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, saturated fats and other unhealthy ingredients in our food? It is scary when we start accepting drugs to control common health problems such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Please think about all of your options before making a drastic decision for you or your child!
For more information on healthy ways to lower your cholesterol please contact us at info@personalwebnutrition.com today.
Thought this article might be of interest:
It is hardly news that a diet high in saturated fats (red meat and fried foods) is bad for our health. According to a new study, a typical Western diet rich in meat, fried foods and refined grains increases the likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. A person is thought to have metabolic syndrome if they have a large waist size plus two or more of the following: high triglycerides, high blood pressure, elevated fasting blood glucose and low HDL (good cholesterol). Excess calories, little exercise and weight gain underlie most cases of metabolic syndrome. Another surprising culprit is diet soft drinks. Research suggests that artificial sweeteners impair the body’s ability to predict the calorie content of food and may lead to overeating and weight gain or because there are no calories in diet soda, people feel less guilty eating an extra cookie or piece of cake.
Some suggestions to help lower your risk of developing metabolic syndrome:
- Lose Excess Weight
- Eat Less Meat
- Limit Fatty Foods
- Choose Low-Fat Dairy
- Eat Whole Grains
- Mediterranean-Style of Eating (beans, nuts, fish, olive oil, fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains)
Trans-fats are detrimental to our health because they raise our LDL levels, the bad cholesterol. They are created by partial hydrogenation, which turns liquid oil into a solid fat. Trans-fats are substituted for saturated fats in everything from baked goods and cereals to fried foods and salad dressings. Companies use trans-fats for several reasons, including their ability to extend the shelf life of products. As of January 15, 2008, Health Department inspectors have started checking food service establishments for the now-illegal oils.
The New York Times quoted the county health commissioner, Dr. Joshua Lipsman, saying “When chefs say ‘Oh, what’s next?’ they are missing the concept of reasonableness,” We are enforcing laws that protect public health, and this doesn’t take away from people’s choices. Trans fat is like lead in gasoline or lead in paint. It’s something that doesn’t need to be there and no one will miss.”
New York City banned the use of trans-fats in restaurants and now Westchester County has followed suit. For more information on this story please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/27colwe.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=does+that+trans-fat+ban+grease+a+slippery+slope%3F&st=nyt&oref=slogin.
For more information on healthy eating, without trans-fats, please visit our website.
One of the areas of nutrition Personal Web Nutrition focuses on is sports nutrition. We tailor programs for many avid weight lifters, runners and bikers, looking to lose wight, gain muscle or improve their overall health and performance. An extremely important part of sports nutrition is incorporating enough protein and calories into your diet.
There has always been a lot of debate between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I have read many articles and books about this topic, including The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and in my opinion, there is validity to both sides.
Today’s Wall Street Journal features an article on NFL star Tony Gonzalez’s decision to become a vegetarian. Last year, after learning the benefits of a vegetarian diet, Tony Gonzalez tried a vegan diet for himself. At first he cut out all animal sources, including fish, eggs and dairy. After losing weight and hindering his performance he decided to incorporate animal products a couple of times per week into his diet, except for beef, pork or shellfish. Visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120122116182915297.html?mod=hps_us_inside_today to view the complete article.
For more information on a vegetarian diet, sports nutrition or other special dietary needs, please contact us at info@personalwebnutrition.com or 917-885-0052.
Good news New Yorkers, starting March 31 you will know exactly how many calories you are consuming at fast-food chains that operate at least 15 different establishments. The city Board of Health is requiring major fast-food chains to display calorie counts on their menus. For more information on this story visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120105411061008499.html?mod=health_home_stories
As a nutritional consultant I work with many clients that have challenging dietary issues. My company, www.personalwebnutrition.com, focuses on customized nutrition for special dietary needs including: gluten, wheat, dairy and soy free, pain and weight management, sports nutrition, low cholesterol, sugar and sodium. I recently read an intriguing article in the December 10, 2007 edition of Newsweek, www.newsweek.com/id/73354. The article was on fertility and diet. Is there a connection between nutrition and infertility?
According to the article, there is a correlation between what we eat and how fertile or infertile we are. The recommendations are for women with non-medical infertility, rather than medical impediments. The plan is called The Fertility Diet and the goal is to ensure a healthy pregnancy as well as motherhood and beyond. Some helpful tips are: choose slowly digested “quality” carbohydrates rich in fiber (helping to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels), eat healthy unsaturated fats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans, maintain a healthy BMI (body mass index), avoid trans fats, reduce animal protein and increase plant protein.
It is remarkable how many health related issues can be helped through diet modifications. My clients are always amazed how eliminating certain foods in their diets make them feel better.