More Good News on Eggs

Inflammation is a silent killer. While inflammation has flown under the radar as a risk factor for disease, it's beginning to get a huge amount of attention. In 2002, the American Heart Association journal "Circulation" published an article called "Inflammation and Atherosclerosis" which detailed important links between the biology of inflammation and the mechanisms of heart disease. We now know that the inflammatory response- which often goes undetected in our bodies- is a contributing factor in a host of diseases including Alzheimers, cancer, strokes, diabetes and obesity. (Many of the foods in my book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" earned their place for being rich in natural anti-inflammatories such quercetin or other members of the flavonoid family.)

One way to measure inflammation in the body is with a blood test called CRP-(C-Reactive Protein). (Many docs don't do this test, but they should.) Low carb diets- especially those that are rich in vegetables and low-sugar fruits- are especially good because you get all the benefits of lower blood sugar and insulin (better blood tests and more weight loss) plus all the huge antioxidant, fiber and anti-inflammatory benefits of the vegetables and fruits. But can a low-carb diet also lower inflammation?

A ton of research has shown that carbohydrate restricted diets consistently lower triglycerides, gluose (blood sugar), and insulin levels, and often improve cholesterol profiles as well. But truth be told, we don't have a lot of research showing the effect of a low-carb diet on inflammation.

But that's changing.

A terrific new study from Jeff Volek, PhD, RD and his colleagues investigated the effect of a carbohydrate restricted diet on inflammation in a very ingenious way.

In this study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, twenty eight overweight men consumed a restricted carbohydrate diet (17% carbohydrate, the rest from fat and protein) for 12 weeks. Half the men were told to include about three whole eggs per day and half ate the same diet without eggs. Both groups were allowed to eat as many calories as they liked, as long as the proportions of carbs, fats and protein were the same.

At the end of the study, the researchers tested blood of the subjects for CRP levels, as well as for adiponectin, a valuable compound secreted by fat cells that helps regulate insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism. (You want more adiponectin in your blood, not less.)

The men who ate the low carb diet that included eggs had significantly lower levels of CRP (inflammation) and higher adiponectin than the group that didn't eat eggs!

Volek and his team speculate that the eggs make a significant contribution to the anti-inflammatory effects of a low-carb diet possibly due to two factors- the cholesterol in the eggs which increases HDL "good" cholesterol, and the antioxidant lutein (found in the yolk) which lowers inflammation.

If you've heard me talk before or read any of my stuff you know one of my biggest pet peeves is the idiotic notion that we shouldn't eat eggs because of their cholesterol (or fat, for that matter).

If this study doesn't blow that one out of the water, I don't know what will (though old "religious" views on nutrition do die hard, especially when you have "spokespeople" from the American Dietetic Assocation perpetuating them to anyone who'll listen. But don't get me started.)

The cholesterol in eggs does not significantly impact your blood levels of cholesterol in any way. No study- ever- has shown that egg eaters die at a different rate or have higher rates of heart disease than non-egg eaters.

There is absolutely no reason to eat "egg white omlettes". Egg yolks are also a potent source of lutein and xeazanthin, two important antioxidants that are critical for eye health, and they also contain an important compound called choline which helps your body make acetyl-choline, one of the important neurotransmitters for thinking, memory and brain health.

In my book, that makes eggs "brain food"!

Dr. Sears Fat Loss Challenge

My friend and colleague, Dr. Al Sears is kicking off his 2nd annual Fat Loss Challenge on March 15, 2008.

Just to give you an idea... the winner last year, S.M., lost 77 pounds in three months and took home the grand prize of $5k. And runner-up R.P. shed 53 pounds over the same period.

Dr. Sears has a great exercise system called PACE that takes just minutes a day. (I wrote about PACE in my latest book "The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.")

The PACE Fat Loss Challenge gives you an ideal opportunity to put the principles of PACE into practice and see for yourself just how effective it really is. You'll be able to regain total fitness without the unnatural stress and time that comes with conventional and ineffective fitness techniques like "cardio", "aerobics"' and weight lifting.

You won't have to worry about:

• Extreme diet changes, giving up the foods you love

• Long, boring workout routines

• Injury from constant, unnatural repetitive motion

• Access to gyms or fitness centers (you can do PACE any time, anywhere)

• Wasting money on special outfits or equipment

• Counting calories

With PACE you'll find yourself burning fat and building muscle with incredible speed, but at your own "pace". That's because it's designed to work with your body to create real functional strength. This isn't the same as the unnatural strength weight lifters develop - isolating and overworking muscle groups to the point where they can barely clap their hands over their heads.

You'll stay connected on line each week as people share diaries on their own progress. I'll be providing you with updates on my own progress as well, along with tips and techniques you can put into practice right away to shed pounds and build muscle in the shortest time possible.

I've also brought together a team of leading trainers, health and fitness experts, and top-flight nutrition specialists to show you the easy, surefire way to a peak physique.

You'll learn the secrets top athletes use to stay strong and healthy from some of the leaders in the field. Here are just a few of the experts who'll provide you with the know-how most people don't have time to learn on their own:

• Dr. Joe Mercola: Acclaimed medical doctor and innovator with the world's largest alternative medicine website. Discover the fat-loss foods Dr. Mercola has on his "10 Best Fat Burners" list...

• Shane Ellison: Former drug researcher, chemist, author, fitness expert and consumer health advocate. He'll reveal the 3 secrets to getting fit - and staying fit.

• Jesse Cannone: Back specialist and top fitness trainer in Washington, D.C. He'll show you how to teach your body to burn fat and stop storing calories as fat.

• Ryan Lee: Author, innovator and fitness entrepreneur and owner of the largest fitness Web site in the US. He's got a top-notch 4-minute "Quattro" routine that'll power you to a prize-winning physique.

• Juan Carlos Santana: Founder of the Institute of Human Performance and voted by Men's Journal as one of the top personal trainers in the US. He'll teach you the trick of timing your supplement intake to maximize your PACE progress.

• Coach Yari: Celebrated trainer and author of the woman's cellulite reduction manual, Dimples of Doom. She'll get all the ladies in the Challenge on track for a smooth, firm, sexy body.

Learning Strategies: Acclaimed publisher of accelerated learning and self-growth programs. These 2 simple Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques show you how to let your mind and emotions help you with your fat burning.

CLICK HERE to sign up and get your free gift.

Another reason to eat antioxidants at every meal

No matter how great a meal is, the very act of eating- like the very act of exercising- causes what we call "oxidative stress'. That's the attack on your cells from rogue molecules called free radicals which can damage your very DNA not to mention contribute to every major degenerative disease. Oxidative damage to your cholesterol is what causes it to be a problem (not the cholesterol itself).

And oxidative stress is one way we age- "rusting from within", so to speak.

The very act of metabolizing and breaking down food generates these damaging free radicals (just as exercising does).

But there's something you can do about it.

New research from the Agricultural Research Service investigated the effects of antioxidants on after-meal "oxidative stress". In it, volunteers first drank a shake containing carbohydrates, protein, and fat-but no antioxidants. Sure enough, they produced blood samples with a reduced ability to counter noxious free radicals.

Not good.

"We're learning that antioxidants should be consumed with every meal," says Ronald Prior, a chemist who was the lead researcher on the study. "And if you routinely skip antioxidants in your diet, over time, the excess number of free radicals being produced may begin damaging cellular components, ultimately leading to atherosclerosis, cancer, and other diseases."

But here's where it gets interesting. The researchers also found something that absolutely qualifies as useful "take home" information that that you can use right now in your fight against aging and disease: consuming grapes with that same test meal prevented the decline in antioxidant capacity.

Of course, it's not just grapes, though they're very high in antioxidants and were used in this research. It can be any antioxidant rich food or foods- vegetables and fruits being the most obvious. In other research, Prior found that grapes, kiwi and wild blueberries were high performers when it came to raising blood levels of important antioxidants.

When I recorded "23 Ways to Improve Your Life (besides diet and exercise)" one of the things I talked about was stuff you could do- foods you could eat, supplements you could take, spiritual exercises you could do, activities you could practice- that would raise your capacity to fight disease and aging and overall improve the quality of your life. Getting a ton of antioxidants in your daily diet- either in supplement form, or by eating foods rich in vitamins C, E, zinc, selenium, vitamin A and the many plant chemicals like flavonoids found in the fruit and vegetable kingdom- definitely qualifies as one of the top ways to improve (and probably extend) your life.

And if you're not interested in memorizing the names of the thousands of flavonoids, phytochemicals, polyphenols, catechins, minerals, vitamins and other wonderful things found in real food, there's an easy way to get as many of them as possible in your grocery shopping bag: Shop for color. Those colorful pigments- what makes blueberries blue, raspberries red, peppers orange- contain chemicals that nature put into plants to protect them from both the sun and from predators. Those pigments are antioxidant rich and will protect you in the same way they do the plant.

Consume them regularly and often.

An old-fashioned, terrific way to build strength and fitness

With all the high-tech gadgets and shiny exercise equipment that's now routine in any big city gym, it's easy to lose sight of the many benefits to be had from old-fashioned, low-tech, equipment free body weight exercises. I'm talking specifically about the plain old push-up.

Push-ups are a terrific way to build upper body strength and endurance. They're a great symbol of fitness and vigor as anyone who remembers watching 71 year old Jack Palance drop to the floor and do his famous one-handed push-up routine during his Oscar acceptance speech. Push-ups engage multiple muscle groups including the chest, the triceps, and the shoulders, not to mention that they require abdominal strength for stability. And you can do them anywhere.

And push-ups are really important for older people as well. As science reporter Tara Parker Pope says, "The ability to do them more than once and with proper form is an important indicator of the capacity to withstand the rigors of aging".

Proper form means maintaining a straight back, putting your palms flat on the floor a little wider than the chest, bending your elbows to lower your shoulders and upper body towards the floor till your forehead and nose are almost touching the floor, then straightening your elbows to raise back up. Be sure to keep your neck in line with your body. (A good illustration of how to do them can be found at ABC-of-Fitness.com.) Women- who have about 1/5 less muscle than men to begin with- can certainly start of with their knees bent and build up to the harder version.

A forty year old woman should be able to do about 16 push-ups while a 40 year old man should be able to do 27. And if you really want to test yourself, the army standards are the way to go. Passing the test for the military requires at least 24 repetitions for a man 37-41 and 6 for a woman the same age. Want to be better than average? Go for 34 if you're a guy and 13 (or more) if you're a female.

Have you seen those Lipitor Ads?

I'm sure you've seen the ads.

Dr. Robert Jarvik, best known for the artificial heart he pioneered more than 25 years ago, is rowing a one-man racing shell across a mountain lake, looking like the picture of health. "When diet and exercise aren't enough", Dr. Jarvik says, solemnly, "adding Lipitor significantly lowers cholesterol".

The implication is clear. This stuff's got to be good. Here's one of the big guns in the area of heart medicine- he invented the artificial heart for goodness sake- endorsing it. He uses it himself and he's rowing away like an athlete half his age. It's got to be good, right?

Shades of those old late night infomercials for hair replacement- "I would not lie to you! I'm the president of the company!"

Well, it turns out that Jarvik doesn't actually row. And he isn't actually a cardiologist and currently isn't even licensed to practice medicine. "He's about as much an outdoorsman as Woody Allen" said his longtime collaborator' Dr. O. H. Frazier of the Texas Heart Institute.

OK so they used a stunt double to sell the pill. Is that so bad?

Not by itself. But taken together with some other troubling information that was revealed recently, it might cause us to take a new look at the whole mania for lowering cholesterol.

Most people only care about lowering their cholesterol for one reason: they believe that doing so is going to make them live longer and reduce the risk for a heart attack. Otherwise why bother, right? So the recent trials on Vytorin- a new cholesterol medication- have something interesting to tell us.

Vytorin (which became famous for commercials which showed people who look similar to foods like banana cream pie and tacos) actually combines two drugs- Zocor, a top-selling statin (cholesterol lowering med) and Zetia, a drug that limits cholesterol's absorption. The hope was that the combo med would be a blockbuster because it lowers cholesterol even more than either medication taken alone.

And it does.

Problem is, that's all it does. The recent study that got headline attention showed that the new drug didn't do a darn thing to slow the growth of arterial plaque. The decline in cholesterol level didn't translate into any appreciable benefit if by benefit you mean living longer or avoiding heart disease.

Which might make you wonder.

Maybe- just maybe- we've been concentrating on the wrong thing. Maybe lowering cholesterol isn't the be-all and end-all of a heart healthy lifestyle.

Remember, fully half of people with heart attacks have normal cholesterol. And half of the people with "elevated" cholesterol have perfectly fine tickers.

Emperor's new clothes, anyone?

Trying to lower death rates and heart disease just by lowering cholesterol is like trying to reduce auto fatalities just by making stronger air bags. The air bag industry likes it- but it doesn't touch the major risk factors for highway deaths, like drunk driving.

For a long time I've been part of the "International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics" who believe our collective emphasis on this one measurement is wrong headed and not even based in good science. I've seen people with absolutely not a heart disease risk factor in sight be given Lipitor or Zocor because their total cholesterol was a measly 210. That is utterly ridiculous.

And by the way there is not a shred- and I mean not a shred- of evidence that lowering LDL cholesterol does a thing for women. The only population it seems to help is middle aged men who have already had a heart attack.

We would be so much better off looking at blood measures like triglycerides, homocysteine, CRP (a measure of inflammation) and the ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol, a ratio which- in an published article in the journal Circulation- was found to predict heart disease 16 times better than cholesterol. (To find your ratio take your triglycerides and divide by your HDL cholesterol. For example if you've got triglycerides of 100 and HDL cholesterol of 50, your ratio is 2, which is a vanishingly low level of risk. Five, on the other hand is high risk. You can lower that ratio by simply bringing down your triglycerides, something relatively easy to do with a lower carb, no-sugar diet!)

And while I'm ranting, let me say this about statin drugs, which, as of this writing is close to being a 20 billion dollar a year industry, and that's just for the two top selling cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Statin drugs probably do some good- but not because they lower cholesterol.

Statin drugs lower inflammation, and that is something we should be concerned about. But saying they prevent heart attacks by lowering cholesterol is like saying asprin prevents clotting because it gets rid of headaches.

And by the way- in case you're interested- cholesterol is the parent molecule for your sex hormones, not to mention for vitamin D, and there are multiple dangers to lowering it too much, despite what the drug manufacturers would like you to believe.

Let's start looking at the other risk factors for heart disease, like smoking, not exercising, not eating fish or fish oil, being overweight and stress. Remember, in the Nurses Health Study they got an 83% reduction in risk for heart disease just by following five simple lifestyle modifications: a healthy diet (with fish), a healthy weight, no smoking, moderate alcohol and daily exercise.

Eighty three percent!

There's not a drug on earth that can give you those results.

And by the way, Pfizer has pulled those ads with Dr. Jarvik.