Myths About the Middle Eastern Diet

One of the most popular diets recommended for those trying to lose weight is the Mediterranean diet.

There's no denying that in general, Europeans are healthier than Americans--but that's probably not saying much, considering all the processed food and sedentary lifestyles that plague American culture.

But there are several misconceptions about the Mediterranean Diet.

Medical professionals and mainstream dietitians and the media continue to claim among other things that a Mediterranean diet consists of:

• Minimal consumption of red meat; no more than 2 times per month
• Avoidance of saturated fat
• Low salt
• Mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes

As Stanley A. Fishman, author of Tender Grassfed Meat says, Mediterranean cultures did in fact eat lots of saturated animal fats. Almost every peasant kept a small herd of goats, or sheep. These animals were raised mostly for their milk, which was drunk raw, made into curds, made into a huge variety of full-fat cheeses, and widely used in cooking. The milk was unpasteurized and always full-fat. These dairy products were a huge part of their diet. The meat prized by the Mediterranean people was not lean, but fatty, consisting mostly of pork, lamb, and goat. Lambs and goats would be barbecued whole for special occasions and holidays. The meat eaten on these occasions was not served in tiny portions, but feasted on. Butter and lard were widely used in cooking, along with olive oil. It's interesting to note that Canola Oil was never used; it wasn't invented until the late 20th century!

As for the fallacy that the Mediterranean diet is low salt, salting food was the main way of preserving food, given the warm climate, and the Mediterranean peoples were masters of salting fish, cheeses, and meat. 

Instead of most calories coming from whole grains and vegetables, the Mediterranean diet's main caloric source came from dairy products, the full-fat cheeses and milk produced by the herds.

As long as low-fat, low-protein and high-carb diets are recommended, like the mythological "Mediterranean Diet", there will be a preponderance of Americans with chronic illness.

Eating Fat: Will it make you fat?

For thousands of generations, humans subsisted on a high fat diet. From our paleolithic ancestors feasting on a fresh saber-tooth tiger kill to or our grandparents drinking real milk, almost straight from the teat, most of human history has consumed large amounts of fat.

So, if there is a preponderance of non-fat and low-fat options in our supermarkets, and our media continues to instill in the public a fear of a high-fat diet, why are two-thirds of U.S. adults not merely overweight, but obese?

Does consuming fat make us fat?

A corollary question to ask is if generations ago didn't have, on average, as high a life span as this current generation has, does that mean that their high fat diets caused them to die earlier?

Well, let's answer the first question: Does FAT = FAT bellies?

It depends on the type of fat you eat. The reason there is an obesity epidemic is because of hydrogenated fat.
Adding hydrogen to a foodstuff extends the shelf life of a certain food. (On a certain level, the Twinkie is a marvel of human engineering. It's amazing that something can last that long on a shelf without spoiling; all hail food science....NOT!)

If you're eating all natural foods and at most, minimally processed foods, you shouldn't even need to read food labels, but if you are someone (or know someone) struggling with weight and caving in to cookies, crackers, cakes, etc..., start getting used to reading food labels and avoid hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated foods. Opt instead for these products that are gluten free and don't contain hydrogenized ingredients.

Since it's only been within the last 100 years that food science has invaded stores where we buy food, our physiology has not yet adapted to hydrogenated stuff. Our livers don't quite know what to do with these altered fats and thus process them as toxins. Our bodies are unable to process these types of fats, so yes, eating some fat can make you fat.

It's interesting to note that World War II served as a catalyst for the preponderance of unhealthy altered foods in our market. Butter didn't last long when shipped overseas to our brave soldiers, but altered fats like margarine did. No wonder the incidence of heart disease, for lack of a better pun, has exploded in the last couple of generations. Altered fats like margarine and vegetable oils (which alter when exposed to high heat) are a major contributor to heart disease.

The best fats to eat, that won't make you fat are those that especially contain high amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, which we can only get from certain foods like wild salmon, raw walnuts (not roasted; roasting kills the beneficial nutrients), sardines (they don't quite smell like roses but they are supposedly one of the healthiest foods to consume), flax seeds, organic eggs, leafy green vegetables (eat a ton of these!), and grass-fed beef.

Grass contains Omega 3 fatty acids, and when we eat beef, we're eating what the cows ate. If you consume lots of grain-fed beef, you are consuming more Omega 6 fatty acids, which, if eaten too much, can lead to joint inflammation.

If you already know this info, please pass this along to anyone you know who struggles with their weight and is prone to eating junk food. Tell them that short of giving up junk food (all cakes, crackers, pretzels, popcorn are junk foods, even those that claim to be healthier for you), they can at least cheat a little bit but only by avoiding hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils.

Misconceptions about HDLs and LDLs

I'm a certified Metabolic Typing Advisor. Metabolic Typing is an online test anybody can take to get a good starting point of what types of foods they should be eating, and thus get your body in a healthier state of balance. 


There is an online forum for Metabolic Typing Advisors. I recently came across a post, written by another Metabolic Typing Advisor that elaborates on my Fit Friday column on cholesterol from just a few weeks ago, entitled: Why You Shouldn't Worry About Cholesterol.


I think this post is important to share with friends, family and people that you know who are needlessly on cholesterol medication.


The advisor wrote that when he was just 18 years old, his total cholesterol reading of both HDL and LDL was 320 (it is important to note that he was playing football and living a active lifestyle).  


It seems he inherited genetics that required his body to make more choleterol than the typical person. At that time, the doctors scared, as he puts it, "the crap out of me" and put him on statin drugs. 


The advisor, after decades of questioning and researching has come to some conclusions. There are even some enlightened medical doctors who take a more holistic approach to wellness who now realize the following, which the overwhelming majority of people don't yet realize, but I venture to guess that in a short amount of time, maybe within five years, there will be a realization that:

LDL (low density lipoproteins; generally thought of as 'bad cholesterol') and HDL (high density lipoproteins; popularly known as 'good cholesterol') are NOT even cholesterol at all. They are actually protein carriers that bring cholesterol to places in your body where it is needed. 

You can think of them as ambulance drivers - since cholesterol doesn't mix well in blood, the body uses LDL to pick up cholesterol and bring it to areas where new cell membranes are needed (For example, if you burned your hand and needed cholesterol to get to that area to help make new cell membranes to replace the damaged ones).  Then the excess cholesterol is taken back to the liver for use in the future.  

Cholesterol is just cholesterol and it is neither good or bad unless it becomes oxidized.  This is the type of cholesterol that's a killer. 

What are the causes of cholesterol become oxidized? One major source is cooking with vegetable oils that become rancid when exposed to high heat. Processed foods like margarin tend to also get oxidized. 


So, if LDLs and HDLs aren't cholesterol, then what is the problem?  

The problem manifests in the particle size of the LDL. It turns out that a healthy LDL particle is big and fluffy.  As a result, it naturally flows through the system and is non-problematic.  However, when the particle size is small and dense it doesn't flow so smoothly and has a tendency to get stuck in the small gaps in the arteries where nutrition flows in.  When this happens, like all things that are stagnant, it creates inflammation and the beginnings of atherosclerosis.

Your doctor may be able to do a detest to determine the particle size of your LDLs. 


To conclude, LDLs aren't necessarily the "bad cholesterol", in fact, they aren't even cholesterol. It's the size of the LDL molecules that are important.

It's also vital to note that the particle size of LDL can only be positively affected by diet and exercise.  


If you know someone who takes Statin drugs, tell them those drugs have no effect on modulating the particle size.

Currently, the Metabolic Typing Advisor's cholesterol is close to 300, which it has been all his life. He concludes his post by saying,  "I have no fear (of my cholesterol level) what-so-ever because I lead a healthy lifestyle."

The Worst Drinks

For those of you who drink nothing but good quality water, either purified and/or with minerals intact (which is increasingly hard to find), good on you!

There's really no reason to drink anything besides water. I'm not going to preach abstinence from alcohol, because lord knows I've tossed many libations back myself, but in general, there is no reason there should be any supermarkets with gigantic beverage aisles.

Let's begin with fruit juice. Even kids shouldn't drink fruit juice. If they crave orange juice, give your kids an orange. This represents the concept of "whole foods" and nutrient density.

Yes, orange juice and other juices that have 100% fruit juice are usually loaded with Vitamin C, an important antioxidant and immune booster.

But drinking orange juice, just an 8-ounce, serving, contains about 25 grams of sugar. Because it's not a whole food, the sugar will cause more of a sugar spike and insulin response than a whole orange.

You can apply this logic to any fruit. Craving apple juice? Don't drink it. Eat an apple instead. Grape juice, don't even think about buying it, eat a handful of grapes....

(If you cave in to giving your kids juice, at least give them a snack with protein and natural fat included so they don't experience a sugar crash.)

By comparison, a whole orange, on average, has under 10 grams of sugar, plus you get the benefit of fiber from the pulp. Yes, there are some orange juices with pulp, but it's not as plentiful as a whole orange.

No doubt there are hundreds of thousands of people who buy fruit smoothies from chains like Jamba Juice thinking that they are drinking a healthy alternative to soda. But in reality, they are overdosing on sugar.

So if you know somebody that indulges in fruit smoothies, please pass the word on. Even if they are adding protein powder to their smoothie, which is advised to lessen the glycemic load (sugar rush), fruit smoothies contain way too much sugar for everybody.

Marketing still tricks the American consumer into thinking that "Vitamin Water" is healthy. Glaceau's popular Vitamin Water contains over 30 grams of sugar in a 20-ounce bottle. Most people don't have the discipline to drink the serving size of 8 ounces, and instead will chug the whole bottle.

Some may ask, "But what if I exercise hard?" Can't a drink like Vitamin Water be good for me?

If somebody takes just a few sips of Gatorade or similar sports drink during the course of a hard workout, then the short burst supply of energy is fine. Again, the problem is that most people end up consuming way more sugar than necessary.

What's the worst cocktail you can drink? One of the worst for sure is a pina colada. Just one of these popular summer concoctions have over 75 grams of sugar and several hundred calories. I learned this the hard way while once vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. To get relief from the 100-degree heat, I gulped down about a dozen pina coladas and ended up with a nasty sinus infection a week later.

Lesson learned: if you're an alcohol drinker, it's better to stick with drinks like vodka and tequilla, straight up with perhaps a tiny splash of juice. These drinks won't bloat your gut like beer and won't overwhelm your immune system with sugar like pina coladas.

Really, if you are eating healthy, water is the only drink you need to consume. Unsweetened almond milk or natural coconut water is fine, but really, all you need is water. Both the earth and our bodies are comprised of two-thirds water. Coincidence? I think not, but this fact does highlight how important staying hydrated is.

Remember to drink one or two cups of water first thing in the morning and wait about a half hour or so to get a natural purification for the body going.

How long has it been since you've drank some water? This article making you thirsty? If you're feeling thirsty, you're dehydrated. Don't wait until that feeling. Stay hydrated all day!

How to Eliminate Back Pain and Stiffness

Several back pain sufferers--of which there are millions--take a "woe is me" attitude when it comes to their physical discomfort. They merely think that it's just fate that makes them feel 150 years-old when they get out of bed in the morning, that somehow, their destiny or God's hand, has dealt them a bum card in life.

Those who do want to do something to alleviate the pain, unfortunately, are duped into thinking by the medical community that surgery is the only option.

Even if surgery eventually lessens the pain, albeit at a cost of thousands of dollars and the risk of complications, the back pain sufferer who elects to go under the knife will perhaps only enjoy short-lived positive results.

If you want to avoid lower back pain, the simple answer is that it's going to take daily effort to reverse the pain and then stay pain-free.

It doesn't take an expert in physiology or kinesiology to "diagnose" the causes of lower back pain. Most injuries or chronic muscle pains or spasms occur from muscular imbalances. So without having to take out a hundred thousand dollars in student loans and getting a fancy degree, what is the most common cause of back pain?

If you said an imbalance and weakness in the deep abdominal muscles, you've just saved yourself 100 grand.

It's fairly easy to mitigate and possibly even totally reverse debilitating back pain. Are you ready to work at it every day?

One of my personal heroes, a guru, you could even call him, is almost 90-year old surf icon Dorian Paskowitz, who wrote a book called "Surfing for Health" (available for purchase online at AlohaDoc.com), in which his most memorable words for me are: "To truly achieve a superior state of well being takes a daily commitment."

Amen, Doc! Despite some bum knees and a replaced hip, Doc still surfs (see below).

So how to apply Doc's wisdom to back pain?

Every day, do something to strengthen your abdominal core. Don't do dozens of situps as that is a waste of time and recruits too much of the hip flexor muscles. Incorporate a daily stretching and strengthening routine. As few as 5 minutes upon rising or going to bed is all it takes.

If you're ready to take the plunge and get rid of back pain, email me  and I'll gladly be of service--but only if you're committed to a daily practice (at least 5 days a week).

Couscous, Brown Rice and Other Grains: How Healthy Are They?

One question I get asked frequently is, "How much healthier is brown rice for you versus white rice?"


Another one: "Is whole wheat pasta more better for you than regular semolina pasta?"


And what about couscous, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, kamut and other grains? How good are they for you?


Before answering these questions, it might be helpful to define what a grain is. Traditionally, a grain is a small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit and the seed walls united. 


The problem with many contemporary grains is the processing it goes through to get to your plate. Typically, grains that most Americans eat have been stripped of their nutritional value from processing. 


That problem aside, how good are unprocessed grains, even grains that are sprouted, raw, and loaded with beneficial digestive enzymes that haven't been destroyed because of processing?


The short answer is: It depends on you.


Everyone is unique biochemically. What this means is that one person might thrive on eating a nice hefty portion of couscous for dinner while another person feasting on the Middle Eastern grain might go into a carb coma. 


So how do you know if a particular grain is right for you? Pay attention to how you feel after you eat it. Sounds simple enough but many people are too busy with other stressors in life to be concerned with being in touch with their bodies. But when you eat the wrong foods, this creates even more stress for the body to deal with. 


When you eat a grain (or any other type of food that's not good for your unique self), an antigen response is created. Antigens are molecules that are usually recognized by our immune systems. Certain autoimmune and inflammation-causing digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Chron's Disease is caused in part by the immune system negatively reacting to its own antigen molecules. 


Your gut contains the majority of your immune system. Eating the wrong foods for years upon years will create inflammation and an eating away of the mucosal barrier in your gut, which is the body's first line of defense against pathogens (nasty invading critters). 


So even if you think you're eating a relatively healthy grain like brown rice pasta, if your Metabolic Type doesn't call for grains in general, you may be causing your body to go through an inflammatory response. 


As a Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor, I can give you a good general idea of what foods are best for you and which ones to avoid. But even without doing a test, if you pay better attention to how you feel after a meal, you'll start eliminating foods that cause inflammatory responses in your body.


Do you feel tired or bloated after eating rice? I know I do. That's why I rarely eat sushi anymore. Even with the lean protein of sushi, combining it with white (or brown) rice makes me feel bloated. I feel terrible after and so does my wallet. Fifty bucks down the drain and two hours later I feel hungry again because I burned up the rice too quickly.


Even supposedly healthy grains like couscous or quinoa aren't the best sources of fuel for my system.


If you really want some useful, personalized nutrition education where you can find out what foods you should eat and which ones to avoid, do the online advanced Metabolic Typing test. Usually, I charge $250 for my analysis and coaching. If you're one of the first five (5) people to do the test, I will waive my fee. You just cover the cost of the test, which is $40 and I'll go over the results with you free of charge. Forty bucks to discover what the best source of fuel is for your body: I'd say that's priceless.


Email me to be one of the lucky five. 


And if you are feeling bloated and want to lose those stubborn last 5-20 pounds, there are a couple products I whole-heartedly endorse by TeamBeachBody. Their slimming formula contains all-natural ingredients like green tea extract and pyruvate and if you're at a training plateau, definitely give the physique-transforming P90X a shot and I'll help you get through it.


Good luck!

Seated All Day at Work? Make sure to...

Find out which neighborhood in your area is at risk for flooding, later tonight on 11 News at 11.


Parents, is your child playing with this toy right now? It could kill your child. Find out which toy was just recalled later tonight ...


So many wonderful stories that our media frightens us with. Well, here's another one I came across earlier this year relating to wellness. The crux of the story: sitting for prolonged periods of time will kill you--even if you exercise regularly. 


Gulp! I exercise regularly but I also sit for prolonged periods whether it be consulting with clients or working on the computer. 


The article I came across said, "Studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die."


Ya think? Really, wow, that's some breakthrough research. And to think, thousands of dollars was probably spent on this study. 


I'm not fat, but I do sit at times quite a bit. Does this mean my life span will be shortened significantly? 


I'm confident it won't. The reason why is that I take several mini-exercise breaks throughout the day when I'm seated. If you're seated and sedentary for prolonged periods of time, follow this advice. 


What I do is get up at least once every two hours and perform one bodyweight exercise that combines strength and flexibility. My favorite is performing a wide downward dog and then transitioning into an upward dog. I just go back and forth for 10-20 repetitions. My heart rate goes up, almost every part of my body is being stretched out and my arms and lower back are getting stronger. 


(If you're in the area, I'd be more than happy to show you how to do this wonderful all-in-one exercise free of charge; if you're not, I can show you on Skype or email you a brief video clip.)


Another great bodyweight exercise to do is a modified pushup transitioning into a downward dog. Start by getting on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. With your fingers spread wide, use your knees to rock forward. Keep your elbows in tight towards your ribs and bend your elbows so you're doing the downward portion of a pushup. 


As you push back up, get off your knees and go into a downward dog, so you look like an upside down "V".


If you do a few sets of each exercise every day, you'll stave off any frightening effect--like early death--that the media has fun propagating. 


If you sit all day and/or drive a lot, another good thing to do besides the two exercises I mention is to just spend a few minutes on a foam roller to release the tight knotted-up muscle tissue. I use one on myself after every stretching/bodywork session I give. If I feel tight, I roll on my spine and often get an almost-orgasmic series of "pop-pop-pops" in my vertebrae. If you need recommendations of where to get a foam roller from, let me know. I'll be more than glad to help...


The article also mentioned that it might be best if you sit for prolonged periods, it would be best to split up your workouts. So does that mean if you're doing a hardcore butt-kicking workout like P90X or kettlebells, you shouldn't do the whole workout at one time? I think the verdict is still out on that one. But I do like the concept of splitting up exercise over the course of an entire day. I think it keeps the blood pumping throughout the body throughout the whole day as opposed to being stagnant for most of the day.


So make it a habit of daily brief bouts of exercise if you sit for long periods of time. Who knows, maybe the hysterical news media may be right on this one. I wouldn't want to be on the losing side of that bet.