5 Big Ideas to Upgrade Your Health [#5] Presented by Dr. Ram, Pharm.D. |
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"On average, Americans eat about 17 teaspoons of added sugars every day. That adds up to a whopping 57 pounds a year." |
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Welcome to my newsletter! As the name suggests, every week I will give you 5 big ideas to upgrade your health. In each newsletter, I will share with you 1 original article from my blog and 4 useful articles from around the internet. For each article, I will provide a brief synopsis and some key takeaway points for your learning pleasure. I’m so excited to be going on this healthful journey with you! Here we go… |
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1. Are Saturated Fats Good For You? (5 minute read) by Dr. Ram, Pharm.D. "Simple analysis of available data demonstrate that reduction of saturated fat in the diet leads to an increased risk of all-cause mortality. When analyzing deaths from JUST cardiovascular causes (heart attack, stroke, etc.), some studies may have shown marginal benefits, if at all; However, looking at deaths from all causes, and not restricting to just cardiovascular deaths, the studies show potential harm from reducing saturated fat in the diet." | | |
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2. Drinking this juice might be more effective than your blood pressure medication (12 minute read) by Joseph Mercola This article covers the multifaceted role that nitric oxide plays, ranging from heart health to immune modulation to boosting energy levels through optimizing mitochondrial function. The article recommends supplementing the diet with foods rich in nitrates, such as arugula, rhubarb, cilantro, and red beets. "One study found drinking 8 ounces of beet juice per day lowered blood pressure by an average of nearly eight points after the first week, which is more than most blood pressure medications. Raw beets have also been shown to boost stamina during exercise by as much as 16 percent." Extra Credit: Beet Juice Recipe | | |
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3. Sugar's Sick Secrets (7 min read) by Anne Kavanagh "On average, Americans eat about 17 teaspoons of added sugars every day. That adds up to a whopping 57 pounds a year." Why is our food saturated with all these sweeteners? When did they make their way into our yogurt, cereal, and oatmeal? How did they sneak into our salad dressing, soup, bread, lunch meat, pasta sauce, and pretzels? This article answers these questions by showing the influence the sugar industry has had on our legislation and nutrition policy. There have been "60 studies between 2001 and 2016 that looked at whether sugary drinks contribute to obesity or diabetes. Of the 26 studies that found no link, all were funded by the sugar-sweetened-beverage industry or conducted by people with financial ties to the industry. Of the 34 studies that found a link, just one was funded by the beverage industry; the rest were independently funded." Extra Credit: Break Your Sugar Addiction (Video) | | |
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4. The Complete Guide Microbiome Science (17 minute read) by Elysium Health Microbiome science, the study of the population of bacteria in gut, has been a hot area of research lately. This article provides a superb overview of the science of the gut microbiome. "Study after study has shown that our microbiome plays an integral role in boosting immunity, preventing infection, and keeping our digestive system running smoothly, our hormone levels balanced, and our brains working properly." "Studies, mostly conducted in mice, have also demonstrated some associations between gut microbes and depression and other mood disorders, autism, and Parkinson’s disease... Up to 70 percent of children and adolescents with autism experience underlying gastrointestinal issues, including an increased likelihood of having leaky gut, which can produce compounds linked to altered brain function." Extra Credit: My favorite Probiotic | | |
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5. An Innovative Approach to Firefighter Health (5 min read) by Dr. Elly Schmidt-Hopper What happens when you take a seemingly healthy, young population of firefighters and optimize their health? "Although the participants were young (and male), with an average age of 27, all 10 had blood tests that showed markers for inflammation. Left untreated, that inflammation could lead to chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes." "The recruits did a two-week diet reset and cut out sugar, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates. They wore glucose monitors that tracked their blood-sugar levels every five minutes throughout the day and wore an Oura Ring, a device that tracks and rates activity, heart rate, body temperature, and quality of sleep. The results? The recruits lost an average of 5 pounds each for a total loss of about 57 pounds... Average body fat decreased 3.5 percent and average blood sugar levels also decreased." Extra Credit: Day in the life a firefighter (video) | | |
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