Nutrition Recommendations- Who should you believe?I
came across an interesting article in my daily readings,
"Panel Suggests Ways To Improve Nutrition".
A federal panel put forth nutrition guidelines that are
the result of an advisory committee of 13 nutrition
"experts". One of their aims is to update the outdated
food pyramid. If I were on the committee, my sole aim
would be to either get rid of the food pyramid, or turn
it upside down. But let me get back to the findings of
this "expert" committee:
1) People should eat
more plant-based foods, while consuming only
moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and eggs.
I have little issue with plant based foods, unless
they are high in starch. Meats, poultry and eggs
contain an abundance of fat soluble vitamins that we
need, along with saturated fats. Saturated fats have
received much bad press, and as is often the case
with government and the media, the press is wrong.
Saturated fats, available from organic or grass fed
animals, is healthy for you, adds to weight loss
when combined with a lower processed carbohydrate
diet, decreases appetite, and helps with overall
well-being. But when you eat saturated fats
WITH an abundance
of processed carbohydrates from "plant-based" foods,
the opposite may occur, resulting in
Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, and many other
diseases of western civilization.
My solution: Eat less "processed carbohydrates"
2) Eat more whole
grains.
I am more of a caveman or paleo dietary follower.
This type of diet consumes what our ancestors ate
thousands of years ago. Whole grains were not very
digestible or palatable and it is doubtful they
played a large part of our ancestors dietary intake.
Also, many individuals are sensitive to whole
grains. Celiac disease, which is much more common
than reported, is an intolerance to gluten
containing grains. My belief in regards to Celiac
disease is not that you either have it or you do
not. I believe everyone has a different tolerance to
grains. Some eat very little and get sick, while
others can tolerate more without problems. Either
way, their high carbohydrate content will inevitably
raise your sugar, insulin levels, and eventually
your waistline. An enlarging waistline is not good
for you, and increases your risk of Obesity,
Diabetes, Hypertension, and many other diseases of
western civilization.
My solution: Minimize your exposure to whole
grains.
3) Eat less salt.
I may agree with this one, but not always, as I have
found that tolerance to salt varies. So if you do
not suffer from high blood pressure or heart
disease, you may not need to moderate your salt
intake. If you have high blood pressure or heart
disease, you can decrease your intake, and/or
replace table salt with sea salt.
My solution: Speak to your doctor about whether
you are salt-sensitive before swearing off of salt.
4) Eat less sugar.
Finally, here is one that I actually agree with. But
realize, sugar is what ALL carbohydrates break down
into in your body.
My solution: Cut back on processed carbohydrates.
I do tend to have issues with government and media
recommendations, as they are usually one and the
same. If you do listen to the news media, the
government's recommendations sound "spot on"! But I
truly hope you do not choose to get your health info
from television, radio, or newspapers. A better
source of health information is the newsletter you
are presently reading, as it is based on actual
health and wellness that gets results. The news
media is more about rhetoric and advertising
revenue.
BTW, I will soon be selling advertising on my
newsletters.
Just kiddin....
But if I did, would you still have faith that I was
giving you unbiased health information??
The media is by far, on the wrong side of health and
nutrition. I find myself battling their influence
every day when I counsel and advise my patient's on
proper nutrition and health. My practice would be
much smaller if not for the poor nutritional
recommendations amplified by the media. So I guess
you should listen to the media, as it will increase
my practice? Naah!! My suggestion is to turn down
the volume when the next "health report" comes on
the screen.
The "experts" recommendations further prove how
problematic federal or national guidelines are when it
comes to your health. As with most government edicts, it
appears that they take a
population, as opposed to an
individual based
approach to nutrition. If 51%, a very slight majority of
our population are healthier using their
recommendations, they may then be proposed for
everyone.
This means that what is good for 51% of the population
is good for the other 49%??
I have a better idea!
Why don't we just flip a coin about our next meal?
Heads is a cheeseburger.
Yummy, Yummy!!!
Tails is Pasta with vegetables.
Looks good, but.....
I hope for heads, minus the bun ; )
When a 85 year old patient with no medical illness comes
to my office for nutrition advice, I do not tell them to
follow the Food Pyramid. I advise them to continue
eating whatever they have been all along, and then offer
them a job giving nutrition advice to the rest of my
practice. At 85 years of age, and healthy, I do not see
how I can change anything for the better. They have
succeeded on their own!!
Why is this so important?
The federal guidelines, if approved, will be used to
determine standards for all federal nutrition programs,
including the National School Lunch Program, which feeds
more than 30 million children each day. So let us feed
our kids foods based on bad recommendations??
Supposedly, the dietary panel's recommendations are in
line with a very well known nutrition expert, Michelle
OBama?? While I applaud any well known spokesperson
getting involved to get word about about childhood
obesity, there is not any "one magic elixir" that will
work for everyone, and any top-down guidelines will only
make things worse.
Following government nutrition recommendations is akin
to following the governments lead in plugging the tragic
gulf oil spill. Too much bureaucracy, and not enough
action that works! The government is by no means
responsible for causing the oil spill. But by taking
control of the clean-up, they are now looked to as the
"experts", which unfortunately for the gulf states, they
are not! Our government is no better at nutrition than
they are at cleaning up an oil spill.
I believe the governments previous nutritional
recommendations are largely responsible for the increase
in obesity and diabetes over the past few decades. And I
do not like "so-called experts" giving bad advice that I
then have to fix or clean up later. Only I have to clean
up Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, and many other
diseases of western civilization.
One more point. If the government does not like fatty
meats, why did the U.S. Agriculture Department just
purchase $14 million dollars worth of dark fatty chicken
meat to be used in school lunch programs, food banks and
other food assistance programs?
Please click here to find out why. Can you say,
follow the special interest money trail!!
If you have been diagnosed with Obesity, Diabetes,
Hypertension, and many other diseases of western
civilization, and would like to try a non-prescription
approach, or at least a less-prescription approach, give
us a call. If you want or need further help with your
diet, our
Healthy Weight Program can also be a valuable tool.
For only $99, you get an online diet buddy, Dr. Horvitz,
to help guide you on proper diet and nutrition for your
individual needs. Click on
Healthy Weight Program for more information.
Our RAFFLE
DRAWING with prizes listed below is
continuing:
* Grand Prize #1 -
available for New patients only is a 3-month
Traditional Wellness Plan.
There are two second prizes
open to anyone:
* A free one hour
Naturopathic session with
Dr Jennifer
Phillips at our Moorestown office.
* A free one hour
therapeutic massage from
Julie
Fischer, our certified massage therapist.
Just send your name and email address to
drhorvitz@drhorvitz.com and put "raffle" in the
subject heading. You can only enter once, and winners
will be picked on or about June 30, 2010.
Institute For Medical Wellness
Supplements of the Month:
Due to the great response, my supplements of the
month offer for June 2010 are the same as for
May 2010.
Vitamin D3- Liquid 2000iu per drop, 900
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plus
Probiotic Pearls- ProFlora Immune- 30
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Purchase these two supplements together for $30,
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This offer can be used with other
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To Good Health!
Steven Horvitz, D.O,
Board Certified Family Practice
Founder of The Institute For Medical Wellness
128 Borton Landing Road, Suite Two
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone 856-231-0590
Fax 856-294-0311
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