Would you like some arsenic with your rice?

Recent headlines about levels of arsenic in rice have struck fear into the hearts of gluten-free diet followers everywhere!  A Consumer Reports study showed that both organic and inorganic arsenic compounds were quite high in several types of rice, particularly brown rice.  The gluten-free community tends to eat a LOT of rice, for example they may eat rice chex for breakfast, rice crackers as a snack, and rice or rice pasta for lunch and dinner.  Therefore, the gluten-free community is likely to be eating more arsenic than they realize, which is concerning as arsenic is potentially cancer promoting and may affect brain development and IQ in growing children.

There are no federal regulations for arsenic in food, so technically, no laws have been broken and we really don't even know that the levels are dangerously high, but it is an interesting finding and one which makes me inclined to remind all my patients that variety is key!  Furthermore, until more information is gathered about this issue (the FDA has a large study underway), there are a couple of things you should consider....but remember, don't panic and ban brown rice from your table!  Moderation is key.

What you need to know;

• Brown rice has higher levels of arsenic than white rice
• Rice from the US southern states is particularly high in inorganic arsenic, due to a pesticide that was used decades ago in the same region to protect cotton crops
• Consumer Reports recommends to cut back to just 2-3 serving per WEEK, with less for babies and children.
• Pregnant women, children and babies are at particular risk

What you should consider doing;

• Rinse your rice several times before cooking it
• Cook your rice with excess water and drain it off, similar to the way pasta is cooked.  Remember though, this also will discard many of the healthy minerals and vitamins from the rice
• Purchase rice grown in Thailand or India and avoid rice from the southern US (eg, Texmati brand)
• Vary your grains— use Millet, Sorghum, oats, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and cornmeal
• Consider adding vegetable-based starches back into your meal plans - potatoes and sweet potatoes, winter squash, corn, dried beans, peas, lentils

With moderation and variety you will reduce your exposure to the food-bourne issue du jour.  That's nutrition you can live with!

Reaching for a Soda? Think about this first!

There is a general undertone in the medical community at the moment regarding sugary drinks.  We all know that they provide absolutely no nutritional value at all, but why do we keep drinking them?  Well, you might say they taste good, we like the sweetness of them, they are refreshing, or we like them better than plain water.  Ok, fine.  But do you know that they have negative effects on your health?  And if you consider the graphic below, produced by a collaboration between many health groups, does it perhaps tilt your mental scales on the pros and cons a bit more towards moderation?  Of even ordinary old water?  That would be good.  :)

Walk for your Health

Today I'd like to focus on exercise.   Is your reaction a combination of "ugh", "I'm too busy" and visions of a sweaty Olivia Newton-John music video?  Never fear.

It turns out that all you have to do is walk.  Yep, just walk.  Ok, so it's nice if you like to workout more vigorously and whatnot.  But just walking is great.  Compared to doing nothing, walking 30 minutes a day cuts your risk of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and cancer by 30-50%!

According to a new study in the British Medical Journal, physical inactivity causes at least 1 in 10 deaths, which puts it on par with smoking.  I also love this great picture from www.everybodywalk.com.... a great reminder that our health is so related to taking a little time for ourselves to WALK!

Some really good articles today!

Thought I would share these with you....I feel like I couldn't have written them better myself!!

First, an article on Fructose -- if you don't have time to read it, basically, it's not really the big enemy  -- but you have to use it in MODERATION.  In other words, 12 teaspoons of it in a sugary beverage (such as sodas or juice) is NOT moderation....  http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/Sugar-debate-Fructose-may-be-healthy-after-all

Second, a pretty good article on aging healthfully by focusing on your brain, bones and belly.  In a nutshell, eat fish because it's good for your brain, keep your calcium and Vitamin D intake in check, and get rid of as much belly fat as you can - exercise and a high fiber diet help!  http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/26/2867372/the-3-bs-of-healthy-aging-brains.html

Happy Summer!

Does Obesity Affect our Daytime Performance?

Well, if you believe some newly published, quite well designed studies, yes.

Sadly, there is now a body of evidence suggesting that obese children have poorer test scores, particularly girls and particularly in math.  This effect shows up as early as kindergarten and also predicts a lower likelihood of going on to college, even after correcting for such factors as parental education and income levels.  Is it unknown at this point whether this effect is caused by changes in mental function caused by the extra pounds themselves, or by something related to the obesity (e.g., self esteem, hesitance to ask questions in class, depression, etc)

Furthermore, in adults, a new study released at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies indicates that the leading causes of daytime sleepiness are a) depression and b) obesity.  Sleepiness at work is associated with poorer work performance and an increase in work-related injuries.  Upon losing weight, these same individuals reported a reduction in daytime sleepiness.  A taboo topic in the professional world is the question as to whether obese individuals are discriminated against during the hiring process.  Sorry to say it, but studies like this indicate that it may well be warranted.

If you or a loved one are struggling with obesity, reach out for help.  There are lots of different approaches and many professionals out there who can help you!  Not the least of which, your friendly Registered Dietitian!

Regulation of the Big Gulp?

So there's a big kerfuffle brewing based on this  news story today.  Basically, to address the obesity epidemic, Mayor Bloomberg is proposing that sugared drinks in New York should only be sold in 16oz containers or less.  We do know that sugared drinks contribute around 50% of the calories consumed by our kids and indeed represent the highest calorie intake per day in the diet of the typical American.  And we also know that these excessive calories contribute to our expanding waist lines and massively increasing healthcare costs.

In an earlier post I also discussed the HBO documentary "The Weight of the Nation", in which we learned that 2/3s of us are overweight or obese and only 1/3 of us are maintaining a healthy weight.  So I guess Mayor Bloomberg is suggesting that we need a bit of extra help in trying to cut back on our caloric intake?!

I don't think that reducing the size of the portion does much to change someones behavior, however, one could argue that we have this huge (no pun intended!) problem and perhaps we do need some help.  I personally am a proponent of a sugar tax - basically, throw a 50c or so tax on sugared beverages and throw it in a Medicare "savings account" to try to alleviate the massive expense that happens when chronic excess weight gain remains unchecked over the decades, and then burdens the Medicare system.

On the other hand, some would say well, what about steaks?  Should we say you can only buy a 6oz ribeye?  Or perhaps you can only buy 2 slices of cheddar cheese?  Or maybe if you buy one lettuce you can only buy 6 tablespoons of full-fat salad dressing?  ....ummm...is this starting to sound a little COMMUNIST to anyone?

Thoughts?  Would love to hear them!

Glucosamine and Condroitin for Arthritis?

So the story goes that we have an elderly dog who suffered dreadfully from arthritic back legs, mostly in the winter. It was so bad that she really struggled to get herself out of bed, and her back legs moved together in one motion most of the time. Sometimes the poor thing was so sore, she would pick up one back leg and hop around on the other.

Our vet suggested we try glucosamine for dogs. After a few weeks, we were amazed at the progress! We now call this dear old dog "The amazing reverse aging dog" also known as "Benjamin Button"! You'd hardly know she suffers from arthritis at all and she now frequently accompanies us on long walks again too.

So we decided to look into this supplement to see if it would soothe our own aching joints. It turns out that while glucosamine often works incredibly well in dogs, it only works in about 50% of humans. Go figure. However, if you are suffering chronic joint pain, it's a fairly harmless supplement in terms of side effects and you have a 50/50 shot of it being useful!

You should look for a supplement that is certified as safe by the Consumer Lab - they are really good at sniffing out the stuff that isn't as labeled or is just flat dangerous. For example, they recently discovered that Whole Foods is selling a product that is heavily contaminated with lead!

Also, you should take the supplement for 2-3 months. If you see no improvement, you should cease taking the supplement as this would indicate you are in the unlucky 50% for whom this supplement provides no use.

Let me know what your experience has been with this supplement! I hope you have the same experience with it as our dear old dog!