Nutrition and Doctors' Advice

Remember to talk to your doctor/nutritionist about any conflicting health advice you get on the internet! (there is some in this post)

Style.com's Beauty Counter Blog posted an interesting interview with nutritionist Sally Kravich I wanted to share.  Here are a few parts that I think I will incorporate in my life:

How about supplements, that other buzzword? What are the most important supplements all women should factor into their diet?

There are several basics that I think are really important. One is a probiotic because those put good bacteria back into the body, and that helps you to digest and break down and absorb nutrients in the small intestine. I think fish oil is highly important, too, because it’s a protector against all the radio currents we are bombarded with, and it’s great for brain development. It also helps to curb against other fat cravings. B complex—also important; in general, having a good B50 or B100 will help feed our nervous system and helps with stress, and along with fish oil it helps keep your hormones balanced. Vitamin D is also essential. We’ve become kind of mole people and we’re not getting the natural light that we need, and getting the D is important for the synthesis of calcium and our structural health. And the fifth would be calcium. Take it at night at bedtime in liquid or powdered capsule form; it’s the best sleeping pill in the world and it also helps with weight because it relaxes and helps you get into a deep sleep, which means your body will be repairing.

I am obsessed with supplements, but damn, I don't take anything for calcium! And I already know I don't get enough every day.  Also, I have trouble sleeping so this will be a bonus... Or maybe I should eat some yogurt before going to bed (see Dr. Bruce Yaffe below)

What is the biggest dietary mistake you see women making?

The biggest one is going fat-free. If we avoid healthy fats, we actually start to mess with our hormones and brains. Although most younger women are always concerned with their weight and size, I get a lot of people wanting to get pregnant so there are a lot of things around fertility issues. And the more someone has been fat-free and onto diet sodas, the more it messes with hormones, and it creates a problem where their thyroid eventually doesn’t work the way it should. So I would say the most common mistake I still see women do is reading labels for calories and fat content, rather than ingredients.

Reading labels is important, but I think it is common to overlook things such as sodium and how processed the food product is.   I've been guilty of paying most attention to fat content, but I need to remember that my body is complex machine that should function well and I need to worry about things other than losing weight. 

After reading this article I remembered how much I loved the "Doctors' Advice" feature on SunHee Grinnell's beauty blog for Vanity Fair and I don't think that  I shared that on here.  I will quote some of my favorite contributors below:

So, did you know...

Dr. Howard Murad:

… that women may experience the effects of hormonal aging on their skin starting at age 20? Adding one or more eggs to your meals for the week will help combat hormonal aging through diet by preserving strong estrogen levels naturally

…that eating a handful of walnuts will give you your daily cell-hydrating omega-3 fatty acids, while a handful of Goji berries provide a dose of free-radical fighting antioxidants, trace minerals and B vitamins? By packing nutritious snacks, your skin will be looking better than ever!

… that in skin with acne, an overproduction of cells leads to a layer of “dead” cells that combines with the skin’s own natural oil, resulting in acne? Eating foods like apricots and mangos that contain high amounts of vitamin A is a great way to prevent this overproduction of cells.

Dr. Bruce Yaffe :

... that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol may help bones? One alcoholic drink daily, maintaining a weight greater than 120 pounds, eating tomatoes (for the lycopene), and consuming flaxseed oil also help to keep bones healthy. One shouldn't drink alcohol just to help your bones, but a drinker of, let’s say, one drink may have stronger bones than a non-drinker, if all else is the same. 

… that bone health is protected by calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise? Recently, calcium supplements have been associated with increased heart disease, thought to be due to high blood levels of calcium when the nutrient is taken in large chunks as supplements. Instead, eat three to four servings of calcium-packed foods, such as milk, low-fat cheese, tofu, yogurt, and calcium-fortified orange juice. The calcium is absorbed more gradually when taken in food, without risk of calcifying the blood vessels. It’s also been shown that colorful fruits and vegetables with lots of antioxidants are helpful to bone health.

… that beef, lamb, and pork are not associated with heart disease or diabetes! Eating processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, or luncheon meats once daily was associated with a 42 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 19 percent increase in diabetes. It seems that the salt and the preservatives, not the fat, are responsible for the damage, based on a huge study of 1.2 million people.

… that herbs and spices have the highest antioxidant content of any foods? Think of antioxidants as preventing rust in the body. A half teaspoon of cloves has more antioxidants than a half cup of blueberries! So reach for spices and herbs to help prevent aging. Here are some other good examples: turmeric in curry, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, oregano, and peppermint.

 Dr. Jordan Metzel:

... that female athletes are four times more likely to tear their ACLs than male athletes are, even when playing the same sport? This is because the female pelvis is wider than the male pelvis, which creates a more “knock kneed” angle between the hips, knees, and feet upon impact. To prevent ACL tears, female athletes can practice plyometric jumping exercises to strengthen the gluteal muscles and prevent ACL injury

… that routine exercise is linked to a lessened frequency of depression and physical illness?

 Dr. Johnny Bowden:

… that long, slow aerobic exercise is not the most effective way to lose fat? You’re much better off doing high-intensity burst training, such as circuit training or intervals. You burn more calories (and more fat!) in less time!

 Dr. Patricia Wexler:

… that if you are the only 35-year-old you know who still breaks out every month, you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, or using any number of medications that may cause acne? It’s time to check with your physician to see if a simple change of medication is all you need.

Dr. Bradford Katchen:

… that S.P.F. numbers refer only to UVB and not UVA rays, so higher is not necessarily better? Protect from the UVA—the ones responsible for skin cancer, aging, and sun-associated allergies—with ingredients like mexoryl, cell-ox shield, helioplex, tinosorb, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide.