Dr. Jonny Bowden

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  • Multivitamin Benefits Stress and Mental Function

    Multivitamin Benefits Stress and Mental Function

    A recent study showed that men taking multivitamins had significant improvements on major clinical measures of stress and general well-being.

    In the study, 215 health males were randomly assigned to receive either a multi-vitamin-multimineral supplement or a placebo, for just over a month. Compared with placebo, those taking the multi had significant improvements on the Perceived Stress Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (a measure of general mental health), the serial subtractions test (a measure of cognitive function) and the Profile of Mood States (used to measure vigor and vitality).

    The multiple included high doses of B-complex, vitamin C and many other vitamins and minerals typically found in a high-quality multiple.

    Think multiple vitamins just give you “expensive urine”?

    Think again.

    “Many people take vitamins and minerals because they perceive that taking them improves various factors such as tolerance to stress, mental health, energy level, and cognitive function”, said legendary icon of integrative medicine Alan Gaby, MD.

    “The new study provides scientific documentation for what many of us have known for a long time.”

     

  • High Carb Diets and Breast Cancer Risk

    The link between high-carb diets and the risk for breast cancer is an emerging research concern. The following article– abridridged from the original by AP medical writer Marilynn Marchione– explains the connection.

    Eating Lots of Carbs May Raise The Risk of Breast Cancer, Study Shows

    by Marilynn Marchione

    High-carb diets may increase more than just waistlines. New research suggests they might raise the risk of breast cancer.

    Women in Mexico who ate a lot of carbohydrates were more than twice as likely to get breast cancer than those who ate less starch and sugar, scientists found.

    The study is hardly the last word on the subject, but it is one of the few to examine how the popular but controversial low-carb diet craze might affect the odds of getting cancer, as opposed to its effects on cholesterol and heart disease.

    The new findings also don’t mean that it is safe or healthful to eat lots of meat, cheese or fats, as many people who go on low-carb diets do, experts say.

    “There are many concerns with eating diets high in animal fat,” said Dr. Walter Willett, chief of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “If people do want to cut back on carbohydrates, it’s really important to do it in a way that emphasizes healthy fats, like salads with salad dressings.”

    Willett worked on the study with doctors at Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica in Cuernavaca, Mexico. It was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ministry of Health of Mexico, and the American Institute for Cancer Research. Results were published Friday in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

    Fats, fiber and specific foods have long been studied for their effects on various types of cancer, but few firm links have emerged. Being overweight is known to raise risk, but the new study took that into account and still found greater risk from high carbohydrate consumption.

    Scientists think carbs may increase cancer risk by rapidly raising sugar in the blood, which prompts a surge of insulin to be secreted. This causes cells to divide and leads to higher levels of estrogen in the blood, both of which can encourage cancer.

    A study earlier this year suggested that high-carb diets modestly raised the risk of colon cancer. Little research has been done on their effect on breast cancer, and results have been mixed. One study last year found greater risk among young women who ate a lot of sweets, especially sodas and desserts.

    For this study, researchers enrolled 475 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and a comparison group of 1,391 healthy women in Mexico City who were matched for age, weight, childbirth trends and other factors that affect the odds of getting the disease.

    Women filled out a lengthy food questionnaire developed by Willett and widely used in nutrition studies, and were divided into four categories based on how much of their total calories came from carbohydrates.

    Those in the top category — who got 62 percent or more of their calories from carbs — were 2.22 times more likely to have breast cancer than those in the lowest category, whose carb intake was 52 percent or less of their diet.

    “The findings do raise concern about the possible adverse effects of eating lots of carbohydrates,” especially for people who have diabetes, insulin resistance or are overweight, Willett said.

  • The Alpha Lipoic Acid Miracle

    The Alpha Lipoic Acid Miracle

    What if I told you there was a supplement available that could help control blood sugar, protect the liver and the brain, and just might turn out to be one of your most powerful weapons in the fight against unhealthy aging?

    Meet alpha-lipoic acid.

    First discovered about 50 years ago, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is one of the most potent antioxidants in the human body, where it’s normally synthesized in small amounts. In fact, Lester Packer, PhD, a senior researcher at the University of California for over 40 years has called it, “probably the most potent naturally occurring antioxidant known to man”.

    Antioxidants — as readers of this blog know — are substances that help protect cells and DNA from the damage done by rogue molecules called “free radicals”. This harm — called oxidative damage — has been implicated in virtually every degenerative disease from cancer to Alzheimer’s.

    Oxidative damage is almost certainly one of the processes that ages us on a cellular level. Antioxidants fight this damage and are therefore potent weapons against disease and aging.

    Other antioxidants like vitamin C are water soluble while still others like vitamin E are fat soluble. But ALA isn’t just any ordinary antioxidant — it can go anywhere, acting as an antioxidant in both fat and water as well as in intracellular and extracellular environments.

    Best of all, it’s a virtual antioxidant wrangler. When antioxidants have scavenged free radicals, they basically become useless, having used up their ammunition in the fight against oxidative damage.

    Alpha Lipoic Acid on the other hand, serves as a kind of “rest and recuperation” station for these exhausted sentries, refueling and rearming them for battle. It literally regenerates vitamin C, vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10 — turbo charging their antioxidant power while providing additional antioxidant firepower of its own.

    ALA also regenerates glutathione, another of the body’s most important antioxidants, and one which is very difficult to absorb from supplements or food. According to neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, MD,(1) studies have shown that the lower a person’s glutathione levels, the greater their risk of cancer. We need all the glutathione we can get, and ALA helps the body create more of it.

    Possibly because it is such a powerful antioxidant, its actions are particularly important for regions of the body that are highly susceptible to oxidative damage, like the brain. Rats fed an ALA supplemented diet showed significant reversals in signs of aging compared to a non-supplemented group — and the reversal was seen in as little as two weeks.(2)

    And it’s probably not an accident that ALA is showing up as a key ingredient in some of the best skin care formulas, where it’s said to help repair some of the oxidative damage of the sun. According to Burt Berkson, MD, PhD, author of The Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough, ALA protects collagen in the skin from cross-linking, thus preventing wrinkling and ultimately the appearance of an aging of the body.(3)

    ALA is a go-to supplement for diabetics or people with blood sugar issues. It appears to enhance insulin signaling, helping to bind it to its receptors and increasing the ability of the cells to take in glucose — possibly lowering insulin resistance (the signature feature of Metabolic Syndrome).

    This action makes ALA a great tool for managing blood sugar. It’s hardly coincidental that in Germany, ALA is an approved drug for diabetic neuropathy, the painful degeneration of nerves in the arms and legs.

    It’s also remarkable for liver function. Berkson3 has long been a champion of using ALA as part of a treatment protocol for hepatitis C. He has seen people recover from severe mushroom poisoning of the liver with a treatment plan that included intravenous ALA.

    “I believe ALA deficiency is at the root of many common yet serious health problems”, says Berkson. “It works on the cellular level to produce energy”.

    But as we age, we synthesize less and less of this important molecule. If you are over 40 you can never obtain ideal amounts of ALA from food alone. “You’d have to eat about 100 pounds of spinach just to get enough of the stuff to fill a 100 mg capsule” says Berkson. Clearly, supplements are the obvious choice.

    How much? If you’re over 40, 100 mg should do for a basic protective dose, though some experts recommend anywhere from 100-300 mg. If you’re diabetic, have blood sugar problems or liver disease, a dose of anywhere from 300-1200 mg is in order.

    Because the structure of lipoic acid is similar to that of the B vitamin, biotin, they both may compete for transport across cell membranes. It’s unknown whether taking ALA requires extra biotin, but many of the best formulas include some biotin just in case. Since biotin has beneficial effects on blood sugar, this is a good thing, especially for people with blood sugar issues.

    References

    1. Blaylock, R, Health and Nutrition Secrets that can Save your Life, Health Press, 2006.

    2. Hagen, TM et al. FASEB J. 1999; 13:41-418.

    3. Berkson, B The Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough, Three Rivers Press, 1998.

  • Magnesium Can Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

    Magnesium Can Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

    Daily supplements of magnesium may improve insulin sensitivity and help reduce the risk of diabetes in overweight people, a new German study suggests.

    In the randomized controlled trial, 52 overweight, non-diabetic participants received magnesium supplements at a dose of 365 mg per day or placebo for six months (1).

    In order to study the effect of oral magnesium supplementation on diabetes risk, researchers looked at several important markers for insulin sensitivity, such blood glucose levels, blood insulin levels, blood pressure and overall lipid profile.

    The study results showed that two out of three measures of insulin sensitivity (blood glucose and insulin levels) improved significantly following magnesium supplementation, and there was also a trend towards an improvement in blood pressure as well..

    The scientists concluded that the study provides significant evidence that magnesium supplementation ameliorates insulin resistance and subsequently type-2 diabetes in obese people.

    Magnesium supplementation was effective even in people who had “normal” blood levels of magnesium to begin with!

    According to the researchers, several mechanisms may be responsible for the beneficial effect of magnesium on insulin resistance, including direct effects of magnesium on the insulin receptor and its signaling processes.

    In 2007, the results from a meta-analysis of observational including 286,668 participants had shown that, for every 100 mg increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes decreased by 15 percent (2).

    Magnesium is one of my seven basic “can’t-do-without” supplements. I recommend magnesium for everyone. It’s required for over 300 metabolic operations, nearly no one gets enough of it, it helps support strong bones, it’s relaxing, and it lowers blood pressure, all in addition to its positive effect on insulin resistance and diabetes risk.

    REFERENCES:

    1. Mooren F. C. et al. Oral magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance in non- diabetic subjects – a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2011.

    2. Larsson S. C. and Wolk A. Magnesium intake and risk of type-2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. J Intern Med. 2007; 262(2):208–214.

  • A Better Exercise Routine for Fat Burning?

    A Better Exercise Routine for Fat Burning?

    Exercise scientists have recently been turning to interval training as the protocol of choice for maximum fat burning.

    But many experts are now advocating a combination approach that may have even more benefits than either interval training or weight training alone.

    In one set of studies(1,2), a typical, standard gym routine—60 minutes of weight training followed by 30 minutes of cardio- was compared with an “integrated” workout.

    The “integrated” workout alternates weight training exercises with something the researchers called cardioacceleration—high-intensity sprints on a treadmill.

    This integrated approach outperformed the typical, standard (separate weights, separate cardio) approach on every measure including muscle strength and endurance. It also produced an almost 10-fold reduction in body fat compared to the group doing the conventional workout.

    “Exercise science is undergoing a revolution”, commented Jade and Keoni Teta, two naturopathic physicians who are also certified strength and conditioning coaches. “The weight-based interval approach offers the benefits of both aerobic and anaerobic training all within one compact integrated workout.”

    1)    Davis, et al “Concurrent training enhances athletes cardiovascular and cardiovascular measures” J Strength Cond Res 2008; 22(5): 1503-1514

    2)    Davis, et al “Concurrent training enhances athletes’ strength, muscle endurance and other measures” J Strength Cond Res, 2008; 22(5): 1487-1502

  • Protect Against Breast Cancer With This Common Garnish

    Parsley is usually used as a decorative accent to a scrumptious meal, but don’t set it aside just yet. In a new study, a University of Missouri researcher has found that a compound in parsley and other plant products, including fruits and nuts, can stop certain breast cancer tumor cells from multiplying and growing. The study was published recently in Cancer Prevention Research.

    In his study, Salman Hyder, the Zalk Endowed Professor in Tumor Angiogenesis and professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, exposed rats with a certain type of breast cancer to apigenin, a common compound found in parsley and other plant products.

    The rats that were exposed to the apigenin developed fewer tumors and experienced significant delays in tumor formation compared to those rats that were not exposed to apigenin.

    Hyder believes this finding could impact women who are taking certain hormone replacement therapies.

    “Six to 10 million women in the United States receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT),” Hyder said. “We know that certain synthetic hormones used in HRT accelerate breast tumor development. In our study, we exposed the rats to one of the chemicals used in the most common HRTs received in the United States – a progestin called medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) – which also happens to be the same synthetic hormone that accelerates breast tumor development.”

    When tumor cells develop in the breast in response to MPA, they encourage new blood vessels to form within tumors. The blood vessels then supply needed nutrients for the tumors to grow and multiply. Hyder found that apigenin blocked new blood vessel formation, thereby delaying, and sometimes stopping, the development of the tumors. Hyder also found that the compound reduced the overall number of tumors. However, while apigenin did delay tumor growth, it did not stop the initial formation of cancer cells within the breast.

    Apigenin is most prevalent in parsley and celery, but can also be found in apples, oranges, nuts and other plant products. However, apigenin is not absorbed efficiently into the bloodstream, so scientists are unsure of how much can or should be ingested.

    “We don’t have specific dosage for humans yet,” Hyder said. “However, it appears that keeping a minimal level of apigenin in the bloodstream is important to delay the onset of breast cancer that progresses in response to progestins such as MPA. It’s probably a good idea to eat a little parsley and some fruit every day to ensure the minimal amount. However, you can also find this compound in pill supplements in the health food section of many stores. Of course, you should always check with your doctor before making any major changes to your diet or lifestyle.”

    The next phrase of studies should include human clinical trials to determine the appropriate dosage amount, Hyder said. He believes further study on humans is necessary to address any health and safety issues that might exist.

     

    Dr. Jonny Comments: Although breast cancer kills far less women than heart disease, it is the disease most women report being the most frightened of. Several proactive strategies may reduce the risk of developing this cancer. Two products I personally like a lot, and recommend to all the women in my family are DIM and Flax Lignans.

    Lignans are plant chemicals found primarily in flax that have been found to be protective against a number of cancers, especially breast and prostate. BrevailX is the only product i know of that contains a clinically meaningful dosage (50mg) of flax lignans.

    You have probably heard of that cruciferous veggies like cabbage and broccoli have powerful anti-cancer plant chemicals that make these foods essential in a good diet. The main anti-cancer agent in these foods is a class of chemicals called indoles, specifically one called Indole-3-Carbinole. Indole-3-Carbinole is available as a supplement, but in my opinion DIM is a better choice. DIM (didi-indoyl-methane) is the active form of Indole-3-Carbinole; some indole-3-carbinole converts to DIM in the body, but taking DIM directly is wiser choice which is why i recommend it.

  • 5 Keys to Permanent Weight Loss After 40

    I want to let you know about a FREE upcoming teleclass by my food designer and writing partner on all my cookbooks, Jeannette Bessinger, aka The Clean Food Coach.

    Recognized by Better Homes and Gardens magazine as among the nation’s leading experts in food and nutrition, Jeannette Bessinger, the Clean Food Coach, is on a mission to empower overweight women in the primes of their lives with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to reclaim their health, re-discover their waists, and restore their self-confidence.  By emphasizing clean, natural, real food choices, Jeannette guides appreciative women to achieve permanent weight loss, celebrate the end of chronic health problems, and really believe – at a gut level – that the second half of life can be the BEST half of life.

    Jeannette has created a breakthrough weight loss program in a hospital setting and has taken hundreds of women down the path of permanent lifestyle change. She has cracked the code for permanent weight loss after 40. And now, for the first time, she is making that information public! She is offering a free teleclass on May 18th that summarizes the 5 biggest weight loss mistakes women are making that are preventing them from losing that weight once and for all.

    If you have found it even harder to lose weight in your 40’s, 50’s or 60’s, if perimenopause or menopause seemed to push your sugar or carb cravings into the stratosphere, if you are getting thicker around the middle, then you cannot afford to miss this call!

    On this free call Jeannette will walk you step by step through the 5 mistakes that are holding you back and share the keys for turning them around. If you are really ready to lose that extra weight for good, Jeannette will share the secrets for making it possible, even if you’ve tried a hundred times before.

    Register for 5 Keys to Permanent Weight Loss After 40 »

  • Junk Food and IQ

    Junk Food and IQ

    Think you’re born with a certain IQ and there’s nothing you can do about it?

    Think again. A long-term health research project tracking the dietary intake of  around 14,000 children born in the early 90’s identified three dietary patterns:

    1. processed (high in sugar and fat)
    2. traditional (high in meat and vegetables)
    3. health conscious (lots of salad, rice, pasta, fruit and vegetables).

    Never mind that many experts– such as myself– would strongly argue against labeling a diet high in rice and pasta and low in protein as “health conscious”, but that’s a subject for another day.

    At the age of 8.5 years, the researchers then measured the childrens IQ. After accounting for just about every factor that could possibly make a difference, the researchers were left with a stunning finding: those eating the “processed” food diet from the beginning of the study to the time of the IQ measurement had significantly lower IQs than those eating the other two diets.

    Worse, it didn’t seem to matter if their diet improved after that. The authors of the study—known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children—had this to say to Science Daily: “This suggests that any cognitive/behavioural effects relating to eating habits in early childhood may well persist into later childhood, despite any subsequent changes (including improvements) to dietary intake,” adding that “It is possible that good nutrition during this period may encourage optimal brain growth”.

    Bottom line: It’s never too early to start training your kids to eat a whole foods diet. They’ll probably thank you for the rest of their lives.

     

  • 10 Superfoods for Weight Loss (Part Two)

    Last week I told you about superfoods that can help you lose weight quickly, foods like grapefruit, pumpkin, berries, sardines, and grass-fed beef. Here are five more superfoods that pack a ton of nutrition into a relatively small number of calories, filling you up, stabilizing your blood sugar, and making it far less likely that you’ll go on a waist-busting binge.

    Nuts About Nuts…

    Nuts should be a staple of your weight-control diet. I realize this piece of advice may be contrary to much of what you’ve heard about nuts being “fattening,” but nonetheless it’s absolutely true.

    While nuts are high in calories and probably shouldn’t be eaten by the fistful, a very substantial number of important studies have demonstrated that regular inclusion of nuts in the diet lowers the risk for coronary heart disease by double digits4. Other research shows positive effects on the risk of dementia, stroke, and diabetes.

    And the current evidence is clear that a moderate intake of nuts doesn’t cause weight gain5. In the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest epidemiological studies, frequent nut consumers were actually a bit thinner than those who didn’t indulge. The “magic” amount seems to be about five ounces a week, or 1 to 1.5 ounces about five times a week.

    Great Guava…

    Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear,” one cup of this vitamin-rich, low-calorie fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber, a well-known aid to weight control (not to mention digestive health).

    And in one widely used test of antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries. Plus, guava contains lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant also found in tomatoes.

    Kickin’ Kale…

    Kale is a member of the Brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among its relatives. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K.

    Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories.

    Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.

    Eggs-actly Right…

    Eggs are the protein source against which all others are judged. They’re also one of the best weight control foods on the planet.

    Research has shown that choosing eggs for breakfast helps people manage hunger while lowering calorie consumption throughout the rest of the day6,7,8. And, for goodness sake, stop with the egg-white omelets — they’re so 1980s. The yolk is loaded with good stuff like lutein, the superstar of eye nutrition and choline, which helps support brain function.

    The little bit of fat in the yolk contributes mightily to the feeling of sustained fullness and satisfaction. Don’t be afraid of it!

    Blood-Sugar Busting Beans…

    Fiber is the secret weapon in weight-control. It fills you up, slowing the entrance of sugar into the blood system and preventing the blood sugar spikes that frequently lead to hunger and cravings. Fiber also normalizes bowel movements, helps maintain bowel health, reduces the risk of type ll diabetes, and aids in weight loss.

    And no food on the planet supplies as much fiber as beans, logging in 12–17 grams a cup. They are also a great source of protein, typically providing 12–17 grams per single cup.

    Beans are also a fabulous source of antioxidants. Research on the areas of the globe where people routinely live to 100 in vibrant good health showed that beans were a staple in the diets of all four of the areas studied (known as “The Blue Zones”).

    Truly Super Foods…

    It’s no small coincidence that the same foods that help you control your weight happen to be the same ones that confer a wide spectrum of health benefits. Rather than focusing on what not to eat, try building your diet around the foods mentioned here.

    The only “side effect” of this weight loss plan is a major improvement in your overall health and well-being.

  • High-Protein, Low-Glycemic Diet Proven Best for Maintaining Weight Loss

    High-Protein, Low-Glycemic Diet Proven Best for Maintaining Weight Loss

    “Quitting smoking is easy”, my father used to say. “I’ve done it 20 times”.

    And so it is with weight loss. Losing is the easy part. Keeping it off.. not so much.

    Losing weight is hard- so finding a reasonable plan that allows you to maintain your hard won gains is the holy grail of weight loss programs.

    A new study attempted to do just that. Researchers looked at four different diets in an attempt to identify which program would have the best chance of keeping weight off.

    The clear winner: a low-glycemic, higher protein diet.

    Researchers looked at participants in the Diet, Obesity and Genes (Diogenes) study in Europe, a multicenter, randomized study designed to assess various for preventing weight gain. For this particular paper, researchers divided 733 people who had already lost 8% of their body weight on a very low calorie diet (800-1000 calories), into one of five diet groups.

    • Low-protein/ Low-glycemic
    • Low-protein / High-glycemic
    • High-protein/ Low-glycemic
    • High-protein/ High-glycemic
    • Control group

    All five diets had about the same amount of fat (25-30% of calories) and none were calorie restricted. The researchers wanted to see whether the diet programs themselves had any effect on appetite, so they didn’t limit calories and instead let people eat as much as they wanted as long as everyone stayed within the parameters of their own diet group (i.e. high-protein, low-protein, etc.)

    One thing worth noting is the researchers definitions of “high protein”, “low protein” “high glycemic” and “low glycemic”. “Low protein” was 13% of calories, while “high protein” was 25%. Twenty-five percent of calories from protein is not what many people would consider “high protein”, but it is still substantially higher than the “low-protein” diet. Similarly, only 15 points on the glycemic index scale separated the “high glycemic” conditions from the “low glycemic conditions”.

    Over a 26-week period, only those in the low-protein/ high-glycemic group regained significant weight (about 1.67 kg). This group was also the one with the highest dropout rate.

    Meanwhile those in the high-protein, low-glycemic group actually continued to lose! (average loss about .38 kg). And those in this group were also the least likely to drop out.

    “We have now shown in a very large European cohort that modifying protein levels and going slightly higher than is usually recommended in terms of protein consumption and lowering GI can help people maintain weight loss,” said lead study author Dr. Thomas Meinert Larson of the University of Copenhagen.

    An accompanying editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that a number of recent studies have shown no differences in the amount of weight lost on various popular diets, though it’s worth pointing out that there a quite a number of studies- including the famous “A-Z Diet Study” at Stanford University—that had different results, namely greater amounts of weight lost on low-carb diets than on conventional ones. Nonetheless, the writers of the editorial said, “A person’s ability to maintain adherence over time may be influenced by the way in which a diet affects hunger and metabolism.”

    No kidding.

    One of the most encouraging pieces of information to come from this study is that it doesn’t take an “extreme” diet to produce benefits. This “high-protein” diet really wasn’t so high, and the glycemic load really wasn’t all that low. But merely moving in the direction of more protein and less sugar appears to have benefits even if you don’t take it to the extreme.

    And if eating lower-carb, higher-protein, low-glycemic —the way I’ve been advocating for over a decade– keeps you fuller longer, keeps hunger at bay and affects metabolism in a positive way, why in the world wouldn’t you do it?