Fried Foods: Do They Really Cause Heart Disease?
Are fried foods killing you?
According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal this month, the answer is…MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. A large (over 40,000 adults) study in Spain studied the relationship between fried food and the incidence of coronary heart disease events (primarily myocardial infarction – i.e. heart attacks). The subjects were followed from 1992 to 2004. Here was there conclusion:
“In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death.”
This was a large, and well performed study, and the results were a little surprising to say the least. However, there are a few caveats:
- This applies primarily to Mediterranean countries with similar frying methods to those in Spain. Specifically, olive oil or sunflower oil.
- The most common fried food in the study was fish, not twinkies, ho-hos, french fries, chicken(ish) nuggets, cheese sticks, elephant ears, or corn dogs. (Darn it!)
- Cooking was a mixture of pan frying in olive oil with some deep frying, but not using solid fats (lard, vegetable shortening) and not in general reusing oil multiple times.
- This was mostly at home frying, not “Ms House of Clowns”, “King of Round Meatlike Patties”, or “Milky King’s Wife” and other fine dining establishments where oils and fats are frequently reused.
- Fried snacks high in salt are uncommonly consumed in Spain compared to the USA.
Maybe the protective Omega 3s of the fish offset the oil, maybe the low oxidation of olive oil in lower temperature cooking in responsible. Maybe you are thinking, “well, maybe it was a difference in quantity of fried foods, or age, or exercise levels, or other factors that we don’t know!” Aha! Actually we do know. “Participants with a higher fried food intake were younger, of a higher level of education, more often smokers, and less often sedentary. Moreover, they had a lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia, a higher energy and ethanol intake, and a lower consumption of non-fried vegetables, fruit, dried fruit and nuts, milk products, and non-fried fish.”
Wow! So much for preconceptions. But what do we really know now?
1. Fried foods – in and of themselves – may not be a risk factor for heart disease.
2. Frying in olive oil or sunflower oil MAY make the risk from fried foods less.
3. Fish oils may protect against the dangers of frying.
4. The actual Mediterranean diet – that includes fried foods in sometimes large quantities – differs from what we advertise.
5. If fried foods lead to truncal obesity (big bellies) then all bets are off – this is a known risk factor.
6. Reusing oils, even “healthy” oils may be a risk factor for heart disease.
I like fried foods. At home (deep fried turkey and cornbread dressing balls – yummm!), and at restaurants. I AM from Texas, ya’ll!!! I even like quite a bit of fast food – at least I occasionally crave it. So what should we do?
Remember that moderation is important, try to increase fish servings, eat smaller helpings, eat more at home, and exercise. Oh yes, limit your simple carbs!
Personally, I believe these steps will prevent heart disease better than the medications and all the fad diets combined.
If you have questions about nutrition, or are already at high risk, call us and set up a consultation. We are here to help!
Craniosacral therapy
Infant receiving craniosacral therapy
Have you ever heard of Craniosacral therapy? It is a light touch therapy dealing with the Craniosacral system. The function of the craniosacral system is the production, circulation, and the reabsorption of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Normally, the production and re-absorption of the CSF produces a continuous rise and fall of pressure. When there is a buildup of pressure from dysfunction in the system, it can lead to dysfunction in the body. It is so gentle, it is often used on newborn babies. Practioners use a soft touch, usually no greater than 5 grams of pressure (the weight of a nickel) to release restrictions in the Craniosacral system to improve the function of the central nervous system. It can be used as a preventative health measure for its ability to improve resistance to disease. It is also effective for a range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction including headaches, migraines, acute and chronic pain, sinus problems, head trauma, TMJ dysfuntion, and neck pain. People have aslo had good results with dizziness/vertigo, ear/hearing problems, visual disturbances, depression , and short term memory probems. Some of the issues thatcraniosacral therapy has helped treat in newborns and infants are nursing issues (including weak suck or difficulties latching), colic, issues with a forceps delivery, sleep disturbances, ear infections, and torticollis. In older children, it can help with learning difficulties, speech disorders, ear infections, and bedwetting.
Adult receiving craniosacral therapy
If you think craniosacral therapy is something that can help you or your child, please contact us.
Child receiving craniosacral therapy
4 For 4 Decades!
Time is sure going fast now that I’m getting older. From birthday to birthday, it used to seem like forever. Now it seems like I just turned 30 and here I am in the year I turn 40. I always knew I wanted to do something special for my 40th year. My dear friend, Jen, decided that she was going to do 4 half marathons in 4 months and I thought that sounded like a great idea. I love running and have always loved it. I do better with training when I have something to train for. I also want to lose 25-30 pounds (left over baby weight of 3 kids!). I would like to take you all through my training journey in all it’s ups and downs.
The races we have decided to do are:
- Race for the Roses- April 1st
- Rock and Roll Half-May 20th
- Helvatia Half- June 9th
- Foot Traffic Flat- July 4th
We did Hood to Coast last year but due to it being on a lottery system, we didn’t get in for this year. We would like to do the Ragnar Relay, Northwest Passage which is July 20-21st. I would like to do something big on my birthday or that month, but it has not been determined yet. If you have any ideas, let me know. We may do a few more half marathons this year, but wanted to be sure that we got 4 in a row!
Right now, I’m just getting back into running. It’s hard to find time to run now that the days are shorter. It’s hard to run outside when it is dark for me so I tend to train on a treadmill. I like to know exactly how far and how fast I am going. Other times, I train with an IPod, so I can find my pace. I really want to get faster but I know that will come with time and distance.
Welcome to my journey and I hope you find inspiration for your own goals.
Active Release Technique
Have you heard of Active Release Technique? It is the soft tissue technique that continues to sweep acr
oss professional and amateur sports alike. As the ART website will tell you it’s the movement based massage that works on tendons, ligaments, muscles, fascia and nerves. It helps with many conditions that are common training injuries such as shoulder pain, knee pain, tennis elbow, little leaguer’s elbow and many other things.
Overused muscles get injured in 3 ways. A single traumatic incident, repetitive use (ie. turning wrenches), prolonged postures where oxygen is cut off to the tissue (ie. posture problems). Any of these avenues lead to dense scar tissue that binds down ligaments, muscles, tendons or nerves that need to move freely. As the scar tissue continues to build up muscles become shorter and weaker, there is increased tension on tendons, and nerves become entrapped. All of this leads to decreased range of motion, loss of strength, tendonitis, and if nerves become entrapped then you can have numbness, tingling and weakness.
Dr Waggoner providing ART on the Rev3 Triathlon July 2011
Most of us has gone through some sort of injury and felt like it has taken a lot longer to get “back to normal” then we thought it should. ART speeds up recovery and makes your body functional very quickly. You don’t need very many visits in general and it even helps with chronic problems. Most patients are better or resolved in 2-3 weeks.
Make an appointment today and let us help you break that pain cycle!
My Baby Weight Loss Journey
- Dr. Waggoner picking a Christmas tree with her family
Here we go. Time for action and accountability. I am putting it out there for the world to see thus inviting accountability. I am inviting you to join me in losing my baby weight. What if I fail? What if I don’t make my goal? This time I think I can.
Top 10 End of Pregnancy Do’s and Don’ts
DO:
- Get adjusted. Webster technique
- Watch TV or read while sitting on dining room
chair or facing backwards in this chair (or kneeling over birth ball, ottoman ,
etc. The goal is to keep your knees
lower than hips and tummy lower than spine. - Spend 20 minutes 3X day on all fours, doing
hula, and pelvic rocking - Last 2 weeks of pregnancy, spend a lot of time
on all fours scrubbing floor, crawling, or other tasks. - Swim belly down- breast stroke, etc
- Warm baths (visualize baby in proper position)
- Be sure to sleep on your left side
DON’T:
- Go on long car rides in semi reclining positions where knees are higher than hips
- Sitting with legs crossed
- Deep squatting (may encourage baby to engage in pelvis in mal-position)
Ice or Heat?
What do I do? Use P.R.I.C.E!
Often patients ask if they should use ice or heat on a new injury. Most people think heat feels better, and sometimes their family doctor or the ER told them to use heat. JUST SAY NO to heat, heating pads, and heating gels! For injuries, even a strained back, using heat may feel better while you use it, but it will cause more swelling and prolong the injury!
P.R.I.C.E. is an acronym for the most important elements in first aid of many injuries. You can use this word to jog your memory when you have injuries like bruises, joint sprains, muscle strains, back pain and other new injuries.
PROTECT – Protect the injured area using splints, ace bandages, slings or simply wrapping a pillow around the injured area during transport. Keep the injured area from being bumped, moved or further damaged.
REST – Stop using the injured part and rest it. Adhering to the old theory of “no pain-no gain” can cause further injury and delay healing. Be aware that resting for too long could also delay recovery or cause other problems. Your doctor can give you more information on how and when to rest your injury.
ICE – Ice helps stop the inflammation and bleeding. It reduces swelling and any secondary damage which significantly speeds recovery time. It is important to note that there is a proper way to apply ice.
- Ice the injured area for 15-20 minutes using a bag of ice cubes, a re-freezable ice pack or a package of frozen vegetables. Place a towel between your skin and the ice pack.
- Remove the ice to allow the skin to warm up to normal temperature for 1 hour. (Do NOT use heat.)
- Continue this cycle until the swelling has decreased. If pain and swelling persists for more than 3 hours, consult your doctor.
- Ice can be used at any time for pain control or if the swelling returns.
COMPRESSION – Compression decreases swelling by slowing bleeding and limiting the accumulation of fluid near the injured site which can delay healing. You want to use an Ace bandage if possible but any kind of cloth will do for a short time if need be. Wrap the injured area by slightly stretching the elastic bandage. Begin below the injury site and finish above the injury site. Be careful not to wrap too tightly or blood flow will be severely impaired. Signs of blood-flow deprivation include pain, numbness, cramping, weakness of the fingers or toes, and blue or dusky-colored nails. Leave the bandage off until these signs are gone and consult your doctor. Rewrap the injured area but less tightly this time.
ELEVATION – Elevate the injured part at or slightly above the level of the heart. This is another way to decrease swelling and pain at the injured site. Use pillows or sit in a reclining chair. Be careful not to raise the injured part too high or rest you arm or leg on a sharp edge as this can impair circulation. Finally, do not use a rope or string to elevate your arm or leg as this can also impair circulation.
So if you have a new injury, remember P.R.I.C.E.! And remember that ice should be used for at least 72 hours after the injury, and for more severe injuries should be used for 1-2 weeks. As long as there is any inflammation use ice, not heat. And as always, call your chiroprator if you have any questions.
Coconut Oil Revisited
In an earlier post I suggested getting rid of olive oil – well, actually just to not COOK with olive oil, to avoid the problems with all unsaturated oils. And I suggested using coconut oil instead, a natural saturated fat that was actually GOOD for you. I started using it myself, and after getting over the weirdness of scooping out a spoon of something the consistency of soft wax, I found that coconut oil was as good as the claims. It is a whitish solid at room temp, and melts at about 76 degrees. I use the organic expellor processed coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, and no, it doesn’t taste like coconuts. Virgin coconut oil does have a delicate coconut aroma, but remember, this is the oil, not the fruit of the coconut (some call it “meat” or copra).
How do you use coconut oil? Since it is a stable cooking oil, you can simply replace unhealthy oils with coconut oil, and since it is a solid most of the time at room temperature or when refrigerated, it can be a butter or margarine substitute for spreads or for baking. Any recipe calling for butter, margarine, or any other oil can be substituted for coconut oil. It is popularly mixed in with “smoothies.” Many people do eat it simply by the spoon full. If you refrigerate or freeze Virgin Coconut Oils the taste changes completely, and some describe it like a “candy” or “white chocolate.” Some people fill up ice cube trays with coconut oil and then store them in the freezer. Some people use it as a spread, and a lot of people put it into their coffee or tea. It actually is very good for you, and may actually help you lose weight!
The bizarre thing to me is getting over the idea that saturated fat is bad – you, know, the lard/Crisco phobia. But this saturated fat does not oxidize even when heated, is totally stable, does not need to be even refrigerated, and is not “hydrogenated”. Though I am not sure I wold recommend it, coconut oil is not degraded at even fairly high temps, so it can be reused.
Here are some recipes http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/.
I just don’t know if I can get used to spreading coconut oil on my toast just yet!
Drink More Water!
Healthy Water Intake
Just because it is winter and it is cold and rainy, doesn’t mean you can’t get dehydrated! During these months we are inside more, with heaters going, and we don’t have that natural thirst mechanism. So most of the patients I see ARE dehydrated.
Water is your body’s principal chemical component, comprising 60-70% of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make you tired.
Lack of water increases fibrosis and cross-linking in collagen, resulting in advanced wrinkling, stiff and easily injured joints, and degeneration of joints and discs.
It also makes chiropractic adjustments more difficult, more painful, and less effective.
Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.
1) How Much? The US National Research Council recommends 1 mL of water for every Calorie you eat. So if you eat 2000 Calories you should be drinking 2000 mL (2 liters or 2.1 quarts). My guideline is ½ oz of water for every pound of weight. So for a 150 lb man or woman, you need 75 oz of water (over 2 quarts).
You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the environment or weather you are in, your health status, and if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding.
- Exercise. The more you exercise, the more fluid you’ll need to keep your body hydrated. An extra 1 or 2 cups of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires additional fluid. During long bouts of intense exercise, it’s best to use a sports drink that contains sodium and electrolytes to help replace sodium lost in sweat. Fluid also should be replaced after exercise.
- Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, high altitudes may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.
- Illnesses or health conditions. Fever, vomiting and diarrhea cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade. Certain conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.
- Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are lost especially when nursing. It is recommended that pregnant women drink 2.4 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed 3.0 liters (about 12.5 cups).
2) Don’t wait until you are thirsty! It’s generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time you becomes thirsty, it is possible to be already dehydrated. Be aware that as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst.
3) Avoid drinking at night! Don’t try to catch up for not drinking during the day by drinking too much in the evening. Avoid drinking 2 hours before bedtime. Unless you LIKE waking up in the middle of the night!
4) Water filters, spring water, bottled waterIf you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Refill only bottles that are designed for reuse. In general spring water from a tested source is best, then filtered water. Don’t drink distilled water.
5) Drink Warm or Room Temperature Water You wouldn’t put ice water in a baby’s water bottle, a pet dish or a house plant would you? Then avoid it for yourself too. Traditional Chinese Medicine declares that cold drinks “shock” the body and blocks the normal flow of energy.
6) Can You Drink Too Much? Though rare, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte content of the blood is diluted, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia. Endurance athletes such as marathon runners who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet.
If you’re concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that’s best for you.
What’s Wrong With My Olive Oil?
Many of you have tried to do the right thing with your cooking oils, following what you thought was the most healthful advice over the years. First, you got rid of saturated fat and switched to vegetable oils, because you read that saturated fats cause heart disease. Then you meticulously looked at the labels to keep away from nasty trans fats. Lately, you switched to olive oil to cook with for the health benefits of mono-unsaturated fats. But what if you found out that your olive oil was actually unhealthy to cook with, and even uncooked could be dangerous? And what if I told you that SATURATED fat, at least a few made by nature, were actually a much MORE healthy alternative?
For a simple explanation (difficult for me!), you need to know that all the vegetable oils commonly used (corn, safflower, canola) are POLYUNSATURATED oils that can be oxidized creating trans-fats. This happens when you cook with them. And the damage that trans fats can do to the body is far worse than all the saturated fat problems. So what about olive oil? It turns out that olive oil is MONOUNSATURATED and is therefore still susceptible to oxidative damage from heating. When oxidized it can be almost as dangerous, interfering with prostaglandin production, which can increase the risk a of cancer and diabetes. Also, extra-virgin olive oil contains CHLOROPHYLL, which causes accelerated oxidation EVEN WITHOUT HEAT – turning it rancid. So the best use of olive oil for your health is cold, on foods like a salad. Keep it in a cool, dark palce and use small bottles, avoiding repeatedly exposing it to the air. You can also put a natural anti-oxidant in it (such as lutein or astaxanthin – a carotene found in salmon and trout).
An even better choice for cooking would be something that seems weird – a fully saturated fat! It turns out that tropical saturated fats, like coconut or palm oil, are not only cheap and plentiful, but have extra-ordinary health benefits while having none of the draw backs of unsaturated fats. Coconut oil will not trigger insulin spikes like carbs, and is an excellent source of energy that can be used to cook just like any other oil. Not only does it NOT oxidize when heated unlike other oils, it has benefits to the heart, thyroid, and skin, and may even help with WEIGHT LOSS! For a more complete source of information on this healthy recommendation to replace your cooking oil, see this site. The brand I personally use is Tropical Traditions. The prices range from about $16 per quart (see here) to $27 for the highest quality (see here).
Try these out! Coconut oil is the best thing I know of to ensure good health with cooking!
Bon Appetit!
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