Dietary Guidelines for Americans, My Way

I just saw this on BoingBoing.  Simple but true. 

This image was created by Adam Fields. 

The people who design government dietary guidelines are gagged by the fact that politics and business are so tightly intertwined in this country.  Their advice will never directly target the primary source of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-- industrially processed food-- because that would hurt corporate profits in one of the country's biggest economic sectors.  You can only squeeze so much profit out of a carrot, so food engineers design "value-added" ultrapalatable/rewarding foods with a larger profit margin.

We don't even have the political will to regulate food advertisements directed at defenseless children, which are systematically training them from an early age to prefer foods that are fattening and unhealthy.  This is supposedly out of a "free market" spirit, but that justification is hollow because processed food manufacturers benefit from tax loopholes and major government subsidies, including programs supporting grain production and the employment of disadvantaged citizens (see Fast Food Nation).

Sport Helps People Eat Healthy Food

So far we only know the benefits of exercise for weight control in order to remain an ideal. But recent research shows, increasing physical activity can also help a person make the right decisions about food selection.

The findings are published by experts from Harvard University. Previous research conducted by professor of neurology, Miguel Alonso found that physical activity can help a person control the food in several different ways.

Alonso says exercise can increase a person's consciousness becomes full. This means that a person tends to eat in small portions when eating. Even consciousness has a long-term effects related to how a person responds to food with those around them.

Previous research has also shown the benefits of exercise in creating more connections in the prefrontal brain. These conditions also indirectly improve cognitive function, including the ability to suppress appetite.

"In other words, physical activity can help us to resist the temptation to eat, especially foods with high calories," said Alonso.

Interview on Super Human Radio

Today, I did an audio interview with Carl Lanore of Super Human Radio.  Carl seems like a sharp guy who focuses on physical fitness, nutrition, health and aging.  We talked mostly about food reward and body fatness-- I think it went well.  Carl went from obese to fit, and his fat loss experience lines up well with the food reward concept.  As he was losing fat rapidly, he told friends that he had "divorced from flavor", eating plain chicken, sweet potatoes and oatmeal, yet he grew to enjoy simple food over time.

The interview is here.  It also includes an interview of Dr. Matthew Andry about Dr. Loren Cordain's position on dairy; my interview starts at about 57 minutes.  Just to warn you, the website and podcast are both full of ads.

Weight Gain and Weight Loss in a Traditional African Society

The Massas is an ethnic group in Northern Cameroon that subsists mostly on plain sorghum loaves and porridge, along with a small amount of milk, fish and vegetables (1, 2).  They have a peculiar tradition called Guru Walla that is only undertaken by men (2, 1):
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5 Causes the Poor Quality of Sleep

How do you feel when you wake up? If you feel the aching body, the body feels tired, eyes still want to keep closed, and not fresh, then you should observe again how you sleep. "We should feel refreshed after waking up, not tired or weak. If you feel like it, there are indications of something happening during sleep and you do not realize it," said Michael Decker, PhD, professor of Georgia State University.
Has the quality of sleep is very important, not only from the length of time sleeping, but also of its quality, resulting in increased fitness. When you do not get quality sleep, it is likely there are several factors that cause it:

1. Loneliness. A study shows that loneliness is not simply a matter of hearts and minds, but also affect the sleep problem. Based on the study, people who think that they alone have time to sleep is not qualified than those who do not feel lonely.
"Whoever and wherever you are, we all live and depend on a sense of security in the social environment around us to be able to sleep well," said researcher Lianne Kurina, PhD. Social and psychological factors are very influential on a person's sleep quality and health.

2. Altitude. Locations in height also affects the quality of sleep. "When we're on the plateau, the air becomes thinner, so that breathing became erratic and makes our brains 'shocked' so do not sleep so soundly," said Decker. Although not living in the highlands, but this problem also appears when you sleep on an airplane.

3. Sleeping with pets. The vet actually advised his patients to not sleep with pets because of the risk of disease transmission. In addition, sleep with a pet could actually affect the quality of your sleep. A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic in 2002 showed that 53 percent of pet owners who sleep with pets sleep disorder every night. As many as 21 percent of pet owners feel disturbed by snoring dogs, and 7 percent due to a cat purring. To overcome this, Decker advised not to put the pet into the bedroom, or at least sleep on the floor of my room.

4. Work nights. Working with the night shift can unwittingly result in poor sleep quality. A study from the Sleep Foundation in 2005 states, 14 percent of Americans who work nights often have sleep problems such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and insomnia. Decker explained that the problems that come up during work nights and sleep during the day occurs because the body's sensitivity to light, allowing the body to take its cue the presence of light as a signal to wake up.
"Light and dark are the cues that help synchronize our body system to the environment," added Decker.
The same concept applies when you are new to travel across time zones, so the experience jetlag. At that time, your brain is preparing to sleep because of time zone you are in the dark zone. "However, when crossing time zones to the zone of light, you suddenly received a new light, and your sleep-wake cycle and become out of sync. It took several days to balance it back," he said.
One of Decker recommended way to overcome this is to use an eye patch while sleeping during the day to stimulate the darkness and fell asleep.

5. At room temperature. Do you often make a glass of warm milk before bedtime for your child? Apparently it has a property to make the children sleep more soundly. Room conditions and a warm body can affect whether a person's sleep soundly. At night, body temperature begins to fall, and decreased body temperature, indicating that it is time to sleep. Warm bath and drinking warm drinks can also make the body more and lowers body temperature and transmit physiological signals for sleep.

"If the room is too warm, our body temperature will increase and make us wake up. Cooling the room can help ensure that more qualified and will sleep soundly," said Decker. When the morning, our body temperature begins to rise gradually, and send signals to the brain to wake up.

Simple Food: Thoughts on Practicality

Some people have reacted negatively to the idea of a reduced-reward diet because it strikes them as difficult or unsustainable.  In this post, I'll discuss my thoughts on the practicality and sustainability of this way of eating.  I've also thrown in a few philosophical points about reward and the modern world.
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Time of Sleep can't be Replaced by Another Time

Sleep is one of the best breaks. At bedtime, we can restore the entire organ function. However, not everyone can sleep with the "right", and woke up the next morning in a state fit. This is because we often misinterpret the myths about sleep, especially in terms of paying the "debt" sleep due to lack of sleep the previous quota. Here are a few of them:

1. Sleeping less than 1 hour per day does not affect your activities. This is a myth. You probably will not feel sleepy during the day. But lack of sleep can affect your ability to think clearly and respond quickly. Lack of sleep also can interfere with heart health, energy balance, and ability to fight infectious diseases.

2. Your body can adapt quickly to changes in hours of sleep. Most people feel his body can reset their biological clocks to sleep in just 1-2 hours. As a result, within a few days later you have to "pay" it's bedtime, and it takes time to adjust to return to normal sleep more than a week.

3. Longer night's sleep can eliminate fatigue during the day. You not only need adequate sleep, but good quality sleep. Some people can sleep 8-9 hours every night, but they still do not feel well rested upon awakening. This is because low-quality sleep.

4. You can replace more sleep. Working overtime in the week to lack of sleep sometimes makes you think to replace it at the weekend. Although sleep patterns will greatly help to alleviate sleep debt, but this will not make you really can get a quality sleep. Revenge bedtime this will only affect your sleep-wake cycle. As a result, it becomes much more difficult to go to bed and wake up at the right time the next day.

How Does Gastric Bypass Surgery Cause Fat Loss?

Gastric bypass surgery is an operation that causes food to bypass part of the digestive tract.  In the most common surgery, Roux-en-Y bypass, stomach size is reduced and a portion of the upper small intestine is bypassed.  This means that food skips most of the stomach and the duodenum (upper small intestine), passing from the tiny stomach directly into the jejunum (a lower part of the upper small intestine)*.  It looks something like this:
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Dreaming Able to Remove Traumatic Memories

According to recent studies dreaming is the body's natural mechanism to erase memories of unpleasant events or even traumatic.

Several studies have linked that 20 percent of our sleeping dream containing also called REM sleep. Dreams are something that is important in the functioning of human memory.

In a brain scan on the 35 participants revealed that people who sleep with a good quality to have brain activity of the amygdala is lower. Amygdala is associated with emotion, while the forebrain associated with rational thought.

Before the sleep study participants were shown 150 images designed to provoke an emotional response. Then half the participants were allowed to sleep soundly tonight. Apparently they are not sleeping too well remember the horror pictures ever.

Scientists think that chemical changes in the brain when a person is in REM sleep (dreaming) effect on memory.

"During REM sleep there is a decrease norepinephrine, brain chemicals associated with stress," said Dr.Matthew Walker, who conducted this research.

He added, when the brain reprocess the emotional experience, but in conditions of low norephinephrine substance, then the next day we'll wake up in the emotion that is lighter on the incidence of previous unpleasant.

"So we will feel more comfortable and able to face the unpleasant experience it," he said.

Complete Your Diet with Coloured Vegetables and Fruits

Fruit and vegetable intake are included in the group that should be consumed every day. Nutrition experts recommend that we consume at least five food groups every day in color, namely red, white, blue / purple, yellow, and green.
The resulting color of the plants showed the presence of certain phytochemicals are efficacious in the prevention of certain diseases. Therefore recognize the benefits behind the different vegetables and fruits because of different color properties.

1. Red
Red-colored fruits and vegetables rich in phytonutrients lycopene and anthocyanins, the natural pigment that gives color to this food. Lycopene, as found in tomatoes, guava or watermelon has anti-aging benefits and protection of cancer, particularly prostate cancer.
Anthocyanins, found in strawberries, red grapes, red apples or cherries, full of antioxidants that protect the body from the effects of free radicals. These compounds also help reduce the risk of heart disease and keep blood pressure under control. Recent studies indicate anthocyanins in cherry fruit contains anti-inflammatory that is useful for patients with inflammatory arthritis or gout.

2. Blue or Purple
Fruits and vegetables are  blue or purple colored has fitokemikal such as anthocyanins found in blueberries, purple grapes and black currants, and also phenolik found in eggplant, prunes or raisins, contain powerful antioxidants.
Antioxidants in dark colored fruits and vegetables has been shown to slow the aging process, especially the risk of memory decline.

3. Green
The green color in vegetables and fruit due to the pigment chlorophyll. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two carotenoids found in yellow peas, spinach and other dark green vegetables. Both of these compounds is necessary to maintain eye health and reduce risk of cataracts.
Besides the green is also high in fiber and source of potassium, magnesium and folate are highly recommended for those who are planning a pregnancy.

4. Yellow or orange
Protect eye health and function with a regular power ingaat eating fruits and vegetables yellow or orange. Get also other benefits such as protecting the skin from the sun.
Citrus family is a source of vitamin C, antioxidants that will boost the immune system, protect against cardiovascular disease and rebuild collagen in skin. Vitamin C also helps absorption of iron. Yellow fruit is also rich in potassium are useful to prevent stroke and coronary heart disease.

5. White
Garlic, bananas, mushrooms, potatoes and cauliflower, belongs to a group of white-colored vegetables and fruits which we are familiar. The white color in this food come from antozantin, the type of flavonoids that have antioxidant properties.
The main advantage of the white group are lower risk of prostate cancer, enhance immune activity and are also rich in potassium

Liposuction and Fat Regain

If body fat really is actively regulated by the body, rather than just being a passive result of voluntary food intake and exercise behaviors, then liposuction shouldn't be very effective at reducing total fat mass in the long run.  People should return to their body fat "setpoint" rather than remaining at a lower fat mass. 

Teri L. Hernandez and colleagues recently performed the first ever randomized liposuction study to answer this question (1).  Participants were randomly selected to either receive liposuction, or not.  They were all instructed not to make any lifestyle changes for the duration of the study, and body fatness was measured at 6 weeks, 6 months and one year by DXA. 

At 6 weeks, the liposuction group was significantly leaner than the control group.  At 6 months, the difference between the two groups had decreased.  At one year, it had decreased further and the difference between the groups was no longer statistically significant.  Furthermore, the liposuction group regained fat disproportionately in the abdominal area (belly), which is more dangerous than where it was before. The investigators stated:

We conclude that [body fat] is not only restored to baseline levels in nonobese women after small-volume liposuction, but is redistributed abdominally.

This is consistent with animal studies showing that when you surgically remove fat, total fat mass "catches up" to animals that had no fat removed (2).  Fat mass is too important to be left up to chance.  That's why the body regulates it, and that's why any satisfying resolution of obesity must address that regulatory mechanism.

Knowing More About Antioxidants

Certainly we have heard or read health articles in which there is the term "antioxidant", and of course the word is described as something that is beneficial to the human body, ranging from preventing aging to anti-cancer. But actually what is an antioxidant? What are its functions? And where we can get it? Here's the explanation.
Antioxidants are nutrients contained in foods that can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our bodies. When the body cells of oxygen mengguankan, naturally these cells produce free radicals that can cause damage that ultimately lead to cancer.

 What are the Advantages of Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are nutrients naturally found in fruits and certain vegetables, and has been shown to protect human cells from oxidative damage and provide other advantages, among others:
• Strengthens the immune system to resist colds, viruses, and infections.
• Reduce the incidence of all cancers.
• Prevent the occurrence of glaucoma and macular degeneration.
• Reduce the risk of oxidation of cholesterol and heart disease.
• Anti-aging of cells and whole body.
What Are Types of Antioxidants?
Here are some types of antioxidants and a source where we can get it:

• Vitamin A: fat soluble vitamin that is needed for bone formation, digestion, and eye health but it also can help the immune system and skin. Foods rich in vitamin A include, carrots, liver, sweet potatoes, apricots, oranges, mangoes, guava, papaya, milk, yogurt, and egg yolks.

• Vitamin C: Vitamin is cleaning free radicals that are in an aqueous environment, such as inside the cell. Vitamin C works synergistically with vitamin E to eliminate free radicals. Vitamin C found in oranges, lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables.

• Vitamin E: Vitamin is also fat soluble it maintains cell membrane (which is mostly composed of fatty acids) from damage caused by free radicals. Another function of vitamin E is to protect the fat in the LDL (bad cholesterol) from oxidation. Nuts, grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, and liver oil, a diet rich in vitamin E.

• Selenium: Selenium is a mineral that should be consumed in a measurable amount, because if in large doses can be toxic to the body. Foods that are rich in selenium, among others, fish and shellfish, red meat, eggs, chicken, garlic, and whole grains.

• Beta-carotene: Beta-carotene is known as peluruh singlet oxygen (a form of oxygen that is toxic to the body) the best. In addition, beta-carotene is also a good cleanser, especially free radicals at low oxygen concentrations. Beta-carotene found in carrots, yellow and red peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and other types of fruit and vegetables.

• Lycopene: As an antioxidant, lycopene is twice as powerful as beta-carotene in protecting white blood cells from membrane damage caused by free radicals. Lycopene may also reduce the risk of prostate and cervical cancer. In addition, lycopene may prevent heart disease by inhibiting oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Together with beta-carotene, lycopene is known to play a role in protecting the skin from damage caused by UV radiation. Foods that are rich in lycopene, among others, tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon.

• Lutein: Lutein is kartenoid in high concentrations in the macula of the eye (the back of the eye which became the retina), which is believed to filter out damaging blue light and protect the back of the eye from damage caused by free radicals. Lutein also helps prevent macular degeneration related to age, developmental glaucoma, and cataracts. Foods that are rich in lutein include dark green vegetables, like broccoli, kiwi, spinach, and brussel sprouts.

• Lignans: Foods that contain lignans found in flax seeds, oatmeal, and berley.