Tag Archive for 'Nutrition'

Fat is good; Carbs are bad … Could it be?

Published on December 22, 2010 in Nutrition. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Despite what we’ve been told for years, this hypothesis is getting strange new respect from growing numbers of scientists.

Fat is not the problem,” says Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice and sugary snacks, we would wipe out almost all the problems we have with weight and diabetes and other metabolic diseases.”

It’s a confusing message. For years we’ve been fed the line that eating fat would make us fat and lead to chronic illnesses. “Dietary fat used to be public enemy No. 1,” says Dr. Edward Saltzman, associate professor of nutrition and medicine at Tufts University. “Now a growing and convincing body of science is pointing the finger at carbs, especially those containing refined flour and sugar.”

And if you’re ready for a few statistics, here’s a great look at the correlation between wheat flour and heart disease.

If you’re new to these ideas, Gary Taubes, who wrote the masterful synthesis Good Calories, Bad Calories, has a new book coming out that simplifies and focuses on the question of Why We Get Fat.

Among the benefits of exercise … longer telomeres

Published on December 3, 2009 in Exercise and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , .

telomere

A study published earlier this week provides evidence that “strenuous, long-term exercise may have anti-aging properties by virtue of its effect on chromosomes.” Specifically, exercise appears to benefit telomeres, which function as a protective cap at the end of chromosomes.

It has been known for a while that telomeres function like cellular clocks. With each division the telomere gets shorter and the cell gets older. Measuring the length of telomeres in a cell provides a good estimate of the age of that cell line.

This new study, involving about 100 subjects, showed that blood cells isolated from endurance athletes showed increased activity of telomerase, an enzyme which helps to repair the telomeres at the end of chromosomes.

Nucleotides and the Paleo Diet

Published on August 15, 2009 in Nutrition. 0 Comments Tags: , , .
Fresh liver--a rich source of nucleotides

Fresh liver--a rich source of nucleotides

This article originally appeared in  The Paleo Diet Update, v5, #33 – Nucleotides and the Paleo Diet (August 14, 2009), published by www.ThePaleoDiet.com and Loren Cordain, Ph.D. It was written by Mark Connell of nuBound and is reprinted with permission.

The Paleo Diet Update newsletter is a great nutrition resource. Subscribe to The Paleo Diet newsletter to begin building your own archive!

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    NUCLEOTIDES AND THE PALEO DIET

Nucleotides are small molecules that are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. They are composed of a nitrogen-containing base bonded to a sugar and one or more phosphate groups. Nucleotides occur in all foods of animal or vegetable origin as free nucleotides or nucleic acids. Their concentration depends on cell density, which explains why organ meats are such a rich source.

Traditionally, nutritionists have dismissed any dietary need for nucleotides arguing that the body can produce them itself. This view has begun to change over the last two decades as a mounting body of research has demonstrated that dietary sources of nucleotides play several key roles.

One hint to the larger story is that the preponderance of foods with high concentrations of nucleotides are Paleo foodstuffs, such as game, organ meats (heart, liver, spleen, lungs and sweetbreads) and whole fish. /1-2 Human milk also contains high levels of nucleotides. /3

Research has uncovered multiple roles for dietary nucleotides, including growth and repair of the intestinal lining and liver, /4-5 modulation of the immune system, /6-7 and protein synthesis, /8 among other functions.

While the body is able to synthesize nucleotides from scratch, dietary sources of nucleotides are now considered semi-essential nutrients /9 under stressful conditions (which hamper the body’s synthesis of nucleotides), such as rapid growth, malnutrition or infection. Additionally, certain tissues, such as the gut, which have a low capacity to produce nucleotides on their own, utilize salvage of dietary nucleotides to meet much of their need.

The long recognized superior health of breast-fed babies /10 is now attributed in part to the presence of nucleotides in mother’s milk. /11 Several infant formula makers now add nucleotides to their cow’s milk-based infant formula in an attempt to more closely mimic nature.

The lining of the gut is subject to rapid turnover with complete replacement occurring in less than one week. /4 Nucleotides assist both the continuous proliferation of cells and promote the development of the folds (villi), which allow proper absorption of nutrients. /12 Maintaining the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract is key in avoiding the complications arising from leaky gut.

Immune suppression is well documented in both endurance and strength/power athletes. /13 Recent studies of athletes supplementing their diet with nucleotides have suggested an improvement in immune function and faster recovery. /14-15

The Paleo Diet offers an abundance of nucleotides in comparison to a Neolithic diet, which includes the newer grains, dairy, and sugar never eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors. Basing your meals on the Paleo Diet, mainly lean meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, can help with intestinal permeability, immune function, and other functions that dietary nucleotides have been found to enhance.

References:

1. Siegfried Souci, W. Fachmann and Heinrich Kraut. 2008. Food Composition and Nutrition Tables, 7th Edition. Medpharm.

2. Rodney Grahame, H. Anne Simmonds and Elizabeth Carey. 2003. Gout: Answers at Your Fingertips. London: Class Publishing Ltd.

3. Agget P, Leach JL, Rueda R and MacLean WC. Innovation in infant formula development: A reassessment of ribonucleotides in 2002. Nutrition. 2003; 19:375-384.

4. Carver JD. Dietary nucleotides: effects on the immune and gastrointestinal systems. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1999; 430: 83-88.

5. Grimble GK. Dietary nucleotides and gut mucosal defense. Gut. 1994; 35: Suppl S46-S51.

6. Gil A. Modulation of the immune response mediated by dietary nucleotides. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002; 56:Suppl 3, S1-S4.

7. Maldonado J, Navarro J, Narbona J and Gil A. The influence of dietary nucleotides on humoral and cell immunity in the neonate and lactating infant. Early Human Development. 2001; 65 Suppl: S69-S74.

8. Sanchez-Pozo A and Gil A. Nucleotides as semiessential nutritional components. British Journal of Nutrition. 2002; 87:Suppl. 1 S135-S137.

9. Grimble GK. Why are dietary nucleotides essential nutrients? British Journal of Nutrition. 1996; 76:475-478.

10. Dewey KG, Fleming J, Nommsen-Rivers LA. Differences in morbidity between breast-fed and formula-fed infants. J Pediatr. 1995; 126:696-702.

11. Schaller JP, Kuchan MJ, Thomas DL, Cordle CT, et al. Effect of dietary ribonucleotides on infant immune status. Pediatric Research. 2004; 56:883-900.

12. Ortega MA, Nunez MC, Gil A and Sanchez-Pozo. Dietary nucleotides accelerate intestinal recovery after food deprivation in old rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1995; 125:2090-2095.

13. Nieman DC. Marathon training and immune function. Sports Medicine. 2007; 37(4-5): 412-415.

14. McNaughton L, Bentley DJ and Koeppel P. The effects of a nucleotide supplement on salivary IgA and cortisol after moderate endurance exercise. J Sports Med and Physical Fitness. 2006; 46:84-89.

15. McNaughton L, Bentley DJ and Koeppel P. The effects of a nucleotide supplement on the immune and metabolic response to short term, high intensity exercise performed in trained male subjects. J Sports Med and Physical Fitness. 2007; 47:112-118.

Preventing blindness – Is there anything fish oil can’t do?

Published on June 22, 2009 in Nutrition. 1 Comment Tags: , , .
Anchovies, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids

Anchovies, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids

Researchers from Tufts University just published a study whose results suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can play a role in slowing the deterioration of eyesight due to age-related macular degeneration [AMD]. They link these findings to prior work at their lab suggesting a low glycemic index diet (ie, one which produces smaller/slower changes in blood glucose and insulin) is helpful in preventing the progression of AMD.

Participants who consumed higher amounts of DHA and EPA appeared to have lower risk of progression to both wet and dry forms of advanced AMD. … “Data from the present study also shows the supplements and omega-3 fatty acids collaborate with low-dietary glycemic index (dGI) diets against progression to advanced AMD,” says corresponding author Chung-Jung Chiu, … “Our previous research suggests a low-GI diet may prevent AMD from progressing to the advanced stage. We hypothesize that the rapid rise of blood glucose initiated by high-GI foods results in cellular damage that retinal cells cannot handle, thus damaging eye tissues.”

A low glycemic index diet combined with abundant quantities of omega-3 fatty acids–this sounds suspiciously close to the paleo diet.

Well yeah … Testosterone cuts incidence of metabolic syndrome

Published on June 20, 2009 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .
Steve Rast at CrossFit Games NE Qualifier by Arianne D'Entremont (CrossFit Boston)

Steve Rast lifting heavy at CrossFit Games NE Qualifier by Arianne D'Entremont

A new study shows that testosterone therapy can help middle aged and older men (with testosterone deficiency) to reverse many of the markers of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed as the concurrence of abdominal fat, high blood triglycerides (fats), high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

Of the 47 men who met the criteria for a diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome at the beginning of the study, 36 (77 percent) no longer had the diagnosis after 2 years of treatment, the authors reported. Furthermore, liver function significantly improved during the first 12 to 18 months of therapy and stabilized for the remainder of the study period. Treatment also greatly decreased blood levels of C-reactive protein, a measure of inflammation that is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. “We conclude that testosterone therapy in men with testosterone deficiency can largely improve or even remedy the metabolic syndrome, which will most likely decrease their risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Saad said.

What wasn’t noted was that exercise could provide all of these benefits as well (operating through basically the same pathway). Studies show that lifting heavy weights, using multi-joint lifts like squats, cleans and deadlifts, over several sets results in increased natural testosterone production as the body responds to the stress of this training.

Here’s a question with an obvious answer. What would be healthier, to raise testosterone levels through exercise or to take an external replacement?

World to End, CrossFitters and Paleo Eaters Survive

Published on June 17, 2009 in Nutrition. 2 Comments Tags: , , .
Wheat spike in a field

Wheat spike in a field

Literally no, but Richard Fernandez illustrates a larger point with a crisis that’s threatening to wipe out 80 percent of the world’s wheat crop. A new strain of stem rust, a fungus that destroys wheat, has begun spreading around the world and the only way to combat it is to replace existing strains of wheat with rust resistant varieties.

(CrossFitters and people eating paleo will survive, of course, since they are not eating wheat any way).

The larger point is important. Crises happen when something unpredictable occurs. Since the predictable happens with regularity, plans exist to acommodate and manage. When the improbable happens, things fall apart and it’s only those with spare capacity or extra resources that survive.

Hernandez notes, “when the danger posed by a rare but catastrophic event is factored into the picture, the simplistic vision of an over-capitalized, excessively-scientific and inhuman West is replaced by an appreciation of what it is in times of crisis: the stored fat of a world which will face the occasional existential crisis”. For stem rust this means the ability of labs, across the world, over the course of a decade to develop new, rust-resistant strains of wheat. Spare capability is the ultimate key to survival.

Which brings us back to the CrossFit prescription for fitness. “Routine is the enemy”. In an extreme situation, it’s those with the flexibility to adapt and the capacity to do more that survive.

nuBound in a paleo diet

Published on June 5, 2009 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

A number of nuBound users, endurance athletes and folks who do CrossFit have discovered the benefits of a paleo diet, which has prompted the question, ‘Does nuBound fit with a paleo diet?’. ‘Surely nucleotide supplements weren’t available in the distant past’, people complain.

The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain & Joe Friel

The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain & Joe Friel


True enough, but then fish oil capsules as a dietary supplement weren’t available then either. nuBound occupies a similar niche to fish oil supplements in a paleo diet.

nuBound supplies nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Dietary sources of nucleotides have been shown over the last twenty years, in many dozens of peer reviewed studies, to play a role in the modulation and health of the immune system and in recovery.

Many companies market nutritional products enhanced with nucleotides, including Ross and Nestle who add nucleotides to their infant formulas. Both Novartis and Nestle produce nucleotide-enhanced recovery products for use in surgical and critical care situations. nuBound is the first product designed for athletes, providing dietary nucleotides to aid post workout recovery.

While you body produces the bulk of the nucleotides it requires, dietary sources become increasingly important when your body is under stress. (Although only a modest proportion of dietary nucleotides are directly absorbed, the balance are broken down and available for incorporation through various salvage pathways).

The best natural sources of dietary nucleotides are all paleo foods. They include: mother’s milk, fish, meat and specifically organ meats. Nucleotides are most highly concentrated in cell nucleii and mitochondria, which are abundant in these foods. (Not surprisingly, grains contain very low concentrations of nucleotides).

Supplementing a paleo diet with nucleotides is analogous to supplementing a paleo diet with fish oil. Both supplements provide nutritional components that are abundant in a paleo diet. However, even if you ate a strict paleo diet with ample amounts of fish and organ meats on a daily basis, you would still benefit from supplementation.

Why? Because modern athletes subject their bodies to elevated levels of stress from training. The average CrossFitter, triathlete or runner does substantially more work than the average hunter/gatherer.

Supplementing with fish oil provides anti-inflammatory (among other) benefits. Supplementing with nucleotides provides immune boosting and tissue repair benefits. Supplementation ensures that athletes always have an ample supply of these nutrients to ameliorate the stresses imposed by training. In conclusion, nuBound can play a useful role and is not inconsistent with a paleo diet.

Antioxidants: Artichokes are indestructible, but take care with the others

Published on April 22, 2009 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: .

Colorful vegetables and fruits

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best source of antioxidants. Cooking improves the flavor of many vegetables, but at the cost of destroying a certain amount of the nutritional benefit. A recent study in the Journal of Food Science looks at what cooking methods enable vegetables to retain the greatest amount of nutrients.

Griddle- and microwave-cooking helped maintain the highest levels of antioxidants and produced the lowest losses while “pressure-cooking and boiling [led] to the greatest losses,” says lead researcher A. M. Jiménez-Monreal. “In short, water is not the cook’s best friend when it comes to preparing vegetables.”