Live Your Healthiest, Most Delicious Life

Live Your Healthiest, Most Delicious Life

I attended the 35^th Annual Idea World Convention in Las Vegas for five days in July. Among the lectures and workshops I sat in were two given by Dr. P.K. Newby: Nutrition Myth Busters, Science Fact or Fiction and Guiding Others to Create Their Healthiest Most Delicious Life. I’m saving much of the “Myth Busters …” lecture to a future post. In this article, I’ll mainly write about her “Guiding Others …” lecture and adding in some very interesting material from Dr. Newby’s website, www.pknewby.com

P.K. Newby received her PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from Harvard University. She spent more than twenty years researching diet, obesity, and chronic diseases; studying how people eat; and teaching students about why what we eat matters, farm to fork. Presently, she is adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Harvard. Known as the “Nutrition Doctor” she spends most of her time writing, speaking, cooking and consulting to help build a healthier, more sustainable and most delicious life.

Because she’s a very good writer, I’ve left intact most of Dr. Newby’s copy and titles in the following article. I’ve also gone from more general to more specific. She discusses several important “myths” but this post would go on for pages if I gave adequate room to all of them and I thought the one concerning gluten was the more timely.

Dr. Newby’s 6 Steps For Sorting Food Fact From Nutrition Nonsense

“If you’re aiming to create a more nutritious diet or trying to shed a few pounds but aren’t sure what’s true and what isn’t, then it might be time to look at your newsfeed. Here are six steps to help you sort food fact from nutrition nonsense and focus on what really matters when it comes to diet.”

Don’t fall for click bait  “We all know what click bait is, as individuals and organizations alike make money each time someone jumps to the source. Read the article title critically: If it uses superlatives and seems like it’s just trying to catch your eye, just say no. And catchy headlines — which newscasters and publishers love — that sound too good to be true are often little more than hyperbole designed to grab your attention.”

Beware of anecdotes  “There is nothing more captivating than an engaging story, especially if it’s about someone you know. Yet the individual experiences of just one person, even your best friend, mother or colleague, may not reflect what science has shown in carefully conducted studies among hundreds or thousands of people. That doesn’t necessarily mean their latest status update or share isn’t instructive for you, too. But it might be best to get a little more information about its scientific basis, and safety, before changing your diet.”

 Inspect the information source  “Your favorite website (or television show) may boast its “healthy” recipes, but how do you know for sure?The information revolution is a wondrous thing, but the sheer volume of places providing diet advice makes it difficult to differentiate science from junk science. Whether you get your food news from social media, television, books, newspapers or podcasts, you’ll want to take a careful look at the source. Who runs the website (or digital network), and what is its purpose? Are miracle cures or instant results promised? Are there links or references to other scientific studies that support the claims?”

Check the credentials  “Valid news sources often employ science journalists, in which case you probably trust their veracity. Yet although nutrition is a biological science based in biochemistry, many of us rely on well-intentioned food bloggers, celebrity gurus, personal trainers and the like for nutrition guidance. What is their training? Do they possess a scientific credential or degree? If not, what qualifies them to give diet advice? And remember that medical doctors (MDs) are trained to treat disease, and many who have jumped on the nutrition bandwagon have little if any preparation. Others may be snake oil salesmen. While some physicians do have specific diet-disease knowledge within their specialty, you’re generally better off finding a highly qualified professional whose career and expertise are devoted to nutrition.”

 Get savvy about science  “Rely on science-based sources and expert consensus to guide your choices for optimal health and disease prevention. Most news stories, wherever they’re covered, are based on single-study sensationalism. While one study, if well conducted, is a better information source than one anecdote, a single experiment may yield nothing more than a promising hypothesis, perhaps even inconsistent with the bulk of extant knowledge. Savvy readers know that a critical step of science is replication. The findings of today’s study du jour may be fascinating, or even life-changing one day. But no singular study warrants a change in dinner plans until the experiment is repeated and results are consistent across many diverse settings and laboratories.”

 Seek expert consensus  “By this point you may be surprised to find many fewer credible nutrition stories in your newsfeed, with far less contention. Indeed, the simple fact is that many people don’t realize that there is considerable consensus on how to eat to promote health, prevent disease and protect the planet: While all science evolves over time, the majority of experts today recommend consuming a plant-based diet bursting with vegetables and fruits, beans and nuts, whole grains and healthy oils and maintaining a healthy body weight. Advice like this seldom makes the news, however; it’s simply less exciting than today’s cutting-edge research or miracle diet flitting across your newsfeed. Yet it’s this evidence-based, expert advice from places like the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization that is based on many thousands of studies. And that’s exactly the kind of scientific consensus you’re looking for when creating a health-giving diet and having a most delicious life.”

 

A Tale of Two Plates: USDA’s MyPlate and Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate

“Many people are familiar with the 1992 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid, which quantified serving recommendations and highlighted variety, moderation, and proportion. To reduce the complexity of translating the guidelines into everyday diets, the pyramid became a plate in June 2011 and now includes five food groups: four on the plate itself (fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein) and a glass / small dish labeled dairy.

From a nutrition science perspective, however, there are a lot of critical details missing from the USDA’s plate. These omissions beg the question: With so much not on the plate, does this new icon accurately represent the latest science of healthy eating? In other words, when does “simple” become “simplistic”?

Enter the Healthy Eating Plate, published by the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition in September 2011.”

 Both Plates Star Plant Foods  “As you can see, Harvard’s rendition is similar to the USDA’s MyPlate in many respects. Fruits and vegetables comprise half of both plates, reflecting the importance of a plant-based diet in reducing risks of a number of chronic diseases. Fruits are also much sweeter than most vegetables and are a source of sugar. They should therefore be consumed in smaller quantities than vegetables.”

Dairy Matters  “One area where MyPlate and the Healthy Eating Plate differ on the science is in the quantity of dairy in a healthful diet. Notice the different beverage cut point between the two plates? Dairy is a rich source of nutrients such as calcium, which is critical for bone health. Calcium can be obtained from other foods, however, and scientists disagree about how much dairy is needed in human diets, if at all, and whether dairy intake is associated with health risks.”

“Harvard’s plate, on the other hand, recommends limiting dairy intake and instead emphasizes the benefits of water. Water is essential for life and, while much of what we need for hydration is obtained in the water-containing beverages and foods we consume, it’s a great go-to beverage that quenches your thirst and helps you feel satiated without adding calories.”

Grains: A Few Caveats  “The two plates also share the grains category, but Harvard’s plate adds the qualifiers whole and healthy. Are these additional terms necessary? The short answer is yes. Whole grains preserve the nutritional richness of the entire kernel, which includes fiber and a host of vitamins and minerals. Refined grains, in contrast, are mainly composed of starch, which acts much like table sugar when digested and has been associated with increased risk of insulin-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

All that said, MyPlate was designed to present the basics of healthy eating in an accessible way but was not intended to provide specific dietary advice. In fact, if you visit the USDA’s website, you’ll find many more details and great tips on which grain are healthier choices that are largely consistent with the messages on Harvard’s plate. Thus, the differences between MyPlate and the Healthy Eating Plate are less about the coherence of the science and more about the level of complexity that is needed to best inform individual food choices.

As many people have cut grains from their diet, this also seemed like a good time to provide a few brief thoughts on gluten-free.”

 

Going Gluten-Free: Is it Necessary?

 “So you cut out gluten, you say, and many of the healthy whole grains that contain it? Okay, but it’s probably not necessary: the number of Americans with celiac disease, an automimmune disorder, is very small: about 1%: a higher percentage has a gluten sensitivity at about 6%. Both lead to a variety of gastrointestinal and other symptoms. While it’s true that the prevalence of celiac and related gluten disorders has indeed risen in recent years and are often under-diagnosed, a large proportion of Americans in particular have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon.

Gluten is a protein naturally found in wheat, barley and rye. It is a simple product of food chemistry: gliadin and glutenin combine to form gluten, which is responsible for many of the wonderfully tasty properties foods like bread and pasta provide.

It’s true that there have been some changes in wheat cultivars over the years that could potentially explain the rise in allergies and intolerances. Another potential explanation is the increase in consumption of highly processed foods made from wheat, or some other reason we don’t yet understand. It is always worth assessing your diet to see if there’s something that doesn’t agree with you, especially given many people with gluten issues are unaware.

Even so, the gluten-free movement appears to be a dietary fad, and people who don’t have a problem with it should consider carefully what they’ve done to replace these grains in their diet because whole grains are packed with nutrition.

If you are not celiac you should enjoy, not avoid, whole grains. Published data in large studies identify that whole grains

1. improve heart health and lower the risk of heart attack
2. lower Type 2 diabetes risk
3. reduce cancer risk
4. support optimal body weight, and
5. promote a long life free of chronic diseases.

The recommendation of both the USDA and the Harvard School of Public Health is to fill 25 perent of your plate with whole grains. The simple fact is that whole, unprocessed grains that retain their nutrients and fiber are part of a healthy diet for most people. Indeed, many Americans don’t consume the amount recommended for optimal health and disease prevention—and going gluten-free makes it even harder. As a result, those supplanting whole grains with other foods can end up having a less nutritious diet, perhaps forgetting about non-gluten containing options like quinoa or amaranth.

Considering how what you eat makes you feel is always important, so if you’ve noticed a correlation with gluten-containing foods, it’s worth paying attention: gluten-related disorders are uncomfortable, and under-diagnosed. But seeing a physician for clinical testing, keeping a food diary, and thinking about your diet as a whole should be the first steps you take before cutting out an entire food group that might otherwise make it harder for you to eat a nutritious, balanced, and diverse diet.

Even though it is hip to go gluten-free, many people who are doing so don’t need to follow this type of restrictive diet plan. It is not a weight loss plan nor will it boost energy or treat autism.

It’s best to consult your healthcare provider if you suspect you are intolerant or sensitive to gluten to rule out celiac disease before going gluten-free.”

Here’s an invitation from P.K. Newby, PhD, the Nutrition Doctor: Please poke around my website to see the different ways I can help you harness the power of food to live your healthiest, most delicious life. You, too, can enjoy a longer life, free of chronic disease, by learning to balance the science of nutrition with the pleasure of eating. We’ll do it, together, one delectable bite at a time. www.pknewby.com