Dr. Jonny Bowden

Tag: healthy eating

  • Foods to Fight High Blood Pressure

    Foods to Fight High Blood Pressure

    About one out of three adults in the US has high blood pressure and the worst part of it is that at about one quarter of them don’t know it.

    Though there are no symptoms, high blood pressure (or hypertension) is responsible for over 56,000 deaths a year in the US alone, and is a huge risk for heart disease. In 90-95 percent of cases, the exact cause isn’t known, but it’s generally agreed that excess sodium in our diet is one of the villains, at least for a large number of people.

    But what’s less known is that there are some great food choices that can actually help you control your blood pressure, and that making these foods a regular part of your diet may be just as effective as cutting back on sodium.

    “People concentrate on sodium restriction”, explained Mark Houston, MD, director of the Hypertension Institute in Nashville, “but it’s equally important to look at the ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet”. Since at least 1972, research has shown that these two minerals have a symbiotic relationship, and that the balance of the two is critical to good health.

    Unfortunately the American diet is woefully high in sodium and typically low in both potassium as well as magnesium, another mineral important for regulating blood pressure. “Even if you had a very high sodium intake, you could negate some of the negative impact of that sodium by having a high intake of potassium and magnesium”, explained Dr. Houston.

    What foods are highest in potassium and magnesium? Fruits and vegetables, the very foods most Americans don’t get enough of. Though the current dietary guidelines recommend 5-13 servings of fruits and veggies a day (which comes to about 2 ½ to 6 ½ cups), average consumption among Americans is a paltry three servings daily.  Several studies- most notably the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) study—have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can significantly lower blood pressure, which many experts attribute to the increased amount of potassium such diets provide. The Institute of Medicine now recommends that adults consume at least 4700 mg of potassium a day to lower blood pressure and blunt the effects of salt.

    The following foods are potassium heavyweights:

    • Swiss chard: One of the best-kept secrets in the vegetable world, swiss chard is a nutrient heavyweight that delivers a whopping 961 mg of potassium per cup. Bonus points for also delivering 150 mg of magnesium!
    • Bananas: One medium banana contains 422 mg of potassium (and 32 mg of magnesium). Added bonus: that same banana has over 3 grams of fiber!
    • Spinach: One cup of this nutrient-rich superfood contains a whopping 839mg of potassium, not to mention over 150 mg of magnesium.
    • Orange and grapefruit juice: One cup of orange juice contains 496 mg of potassium (more than a banana!), but at 378 mg per cup, grapefruit juice is almost as good. Tomato juice is a close runner up with 556 mg per cup, but check the label for sodium content!
    • Dried apricots: One of the great potassium heavyweights, dried apricots contain a whopping 1100 mg of potassium per half cup. (But don’t overdo—they’re high in calories!)
    • Yams and sweet potatoes: A cup of cubed cooked yams has 911 mg of potassium, making it one of the highest vegetable sources of potassium available. One cup also contains 5.3 grams of fiber! The easier-to-find sweet potato is also a great source, with one medium baked potato providing 542 mg.
    • Avocados: Don’t avoid these fruits (yup, they’re fruits) because of the fat, most of which is the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. A single avocado contains between 690 mg of potassium (for the California variety) and a chart-topping 1067 mg of potassium (for the Florida variety). Worth knowing: California avocados are quite a bit lower in calories than their Florida brethren (227 calories vs 365).
    • Cantaloupe: One quarter of a medium cantaloupe contains 368 mg of potassium, not to mention a significant amount of vitamin A and beta-carotene.
    • Figs: A half cup of figs delivers 381 mg of potassium. Bonus: they’re also very high in fiber (over 5 g per half cup).
    • Peaches: One large peach contains 322 mg of potassium.
    • Dates: The two varieties of dates widely available are both good sources of potassium. Medjool dates are higher in calories (66 per date) but contain 167 mg of potassium per date; Deglet noors are only 20 calories per date, but three of them deliver almost 150 mg of potassium.
    • Beans: Beans are incredibly high in potassium, and it almost doesn’t matter which kind you get. Per cup, kidney beans contain 717mg (and 74mg of magnesium), black beans have 611 mg (and 120mg of magnesium), chickpeas (garbanzo beans) have 477 mg (with 79mg of magnesium), and the less well-known adzuki beans top the charts with 1224 mg of potassium (and 120 mg of magnesium).
    • Kale: One cup of chopped raw kale contains only 34 calories yet delivers 299 mg of potassium (as well as 80 mg of vitamin C!). Try tossing with some olive oil, pine nuts and dried cranberries, suggests nutritionist Jonny Bowden, author of “The Healthiest Meals on Earth”.
    • While the above list represents an all-star group of blood-pressure lowering foods, there are plenty of others that can help get you to your goal of 4700mg of potassium per day. Three pitted prunes, one kiwi or a cup of broccoli each deliver around 250 mg of potassium, a medium apple provides 195 mg and even a small 1.5 ounce box of raisins contains 322 mg. “A high intake of potassium- as well as the magnesium and calcium often found together in the same foods may improve blood pressure levels and reduce coronary artery disease and stroke”, Dr. Houston concluded.
    • In addition, some foods lower blood pressure through other mechanisms than their potassium content. Celery, for example, has been recommended in traditional Chinese medicine for high blood pressure for centuries and experimental evidence has confirmed its usefulness. In one University of Chicago Medical Center study, injecting lab animals with celery extract equivalent to 4 stalks of celery lowered their blood pressure by 12-14%.
    • Garlic also has a positive effect on blood pressure. The effect is not enormous, but it is significant. A number of analyses have concluded that garlic can modestly reduce blood pressure by 2-7% after four weeks of treatment, and a review article in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension called garlic “an agent with some evidence of benefit” in reducing high blood pressure. “Both celery and garlic are both foods we recommend for our patients at the Hypertension Institute”, said Dr. Houston.
    • Beet juice has also been found to be an effective tool for lowering blood pressure. Beet juice contains nitrate- a gas which is converted in the body into nitric oxidide which in turn relaxes the muscles in the walls of the blood vessels. This in turn causes them to dilate and allows for increased blood flow. Research from the Queen Mary University of London found that high blood pressure returned to normal levels when subjects were given 2 cups of beet juice per day.

    Recent research has also shown that compounds in brown rice protect against hypertension by blocking an enzyme (angiotensin ll) that increases blood pressure. Whey protein powder also has been found to lower blood pressure in those with hypertension (but to have no effect on those with normal BP).

    I didn’t ask Dr. Houston about supplements- though he is quite expert on that topic– but he volunteered one as being particularly important for blood pressure: Vitamin D. “Vitamin D is very important in BP control due to an effect on a hormone call renin, that controls blood pressure. If Vitamin D is low, renin is increased and this in turn causes the arteries to constrict and increase the blood pressure.”

  • Lighten Up to Lose Weight!

    Lighten Up to Lose Weight!

    guest article by Craig Weatherby

    Rather than self-esteem, “self-compassion” may enhance health and ability to limit food intake.
    We were intrigued by the implications of a new body of research summarized by New York Times health correspondent Tara Parker-Pope in her “Well” blog.

    As she wrote, “… giving ourselves a break and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health … self-compassion can even influence how much we eat …”

    Her article focused on research by Kristin Neff, Ph.D., of the University of Texas, and summarized a controlled trial from Wake Forest University, which found that planting self-forgiving notions in the minds of female college students reduced their junk-food consumption.

    Prompted by Parker-Pope’s blog post, we searched the literature, and uncovered additional relevant research published four years ago by Duke University researchers (Leary MR et al. 2007).

    The Duke team investigated the thinking and emotional processes by which people with self-compassionate attitudes deal with unpleasant life events.

    (The term “self-compassion” refers to people who forgive their own shortcomings, and tend not to beat up on themselves.)

    The five Duke studies grouped participants’ according to their attitudes toward themselves, then evaluated their behavior in various contexts:

    • Reports on negative events in their daily lives
    • Responses to hypothetical scenarios
    • Reactions to interpersonal feedback
    • Rating their or others’ videotaped performances in an awkward situation
    • Reflecting on negative personal experiences

    The results showed that people with self-compassionate attitudes had resilient reactions to negative events that buffered them against negative self-feelings when imagining distressing social events.

    When notions of self-compassion were planted in the minds of participants who ranked low in self-esteem, this intervention seemed to moderate negative emotions in response to ambivalent feedback from other people.

    People who ranked low in self-compassion undervalued their videotaped performances, compared with the perceptions of those performances by objective observers.

    Finally, when people were unknowingly nudged toward having a more self-compassionate perspective, they were more likely to acknowledge their role in negative events without feeling overwhelmed with negative emotions.

    The Duke team concluded that feeling kindly toward yourself is more psychologically beneficial than holding yourself in high regard:

    “In general, these studies suggest that self-compassion attenuates people’s reactions to negative events in ways that are distinct from and, in some cases, more beneficial than self-esteem.”

     

     

  • Featured Recipe: Crunchy Apple Baked Beans

    Featured Recipe: Crunchy Apple Baked Beans

    The following recipe is just for readers of this newsletter, “In Step With Jonny”—it’s an advance preview of our forthcoming book, “The Live Longer Cookbook” by myself and my co-author, chef extraordinaire Jeannette Bessinger. Enjoy!

    Crunchy Apple Baked Beans

    From Dr. Jonny: So I have to tell you my personal story about beans: I frequently have them for breakfast. Call me crazy, I know. But the thing is, nothing really keeps your blood sugar even like beans, and they satisfy for hours. (Sometimes I have them as a side dish with my eggs.)

    But enough about me and beans. According to nutrition experts at Michigan State University, who reviewed 25 years of research involving beans and various health issues, beans are a powerful food to improve overall health and specifically to prevent heart disease. “Scientific evidence proves that increasing bean consumption will lower your risk”, said lead researcher Maurice Bennink, PhD. And just for good measure, recent research showed that women in the famous Nurses’ Health Study who ate four or more servings of legumes a week were 33% less likely to develop colorectal ademonas, a non-cancerous tumor that can progress into colon cancer.

    The thing I love about this particular recipe is the apple flavor- which you’d never expect in a bean dish but makes it sweet and spicy at the same time. In addition to breakfast, this is really satisfying on a cold night!—Dr. Jonny

    Crunchy Apple Baked Beans

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cup dried pinto beans, picked over and soaked overnight, drained
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • ½ cup dried apple, pulsed in food processor to the size of large raisins
    • 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • ½-3/4 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
    • ½ teaspoon epazote, optional yo hlp with bean digestibility
    • 2 cups apple cider (also good with hard cider!)
    • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
    • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

    Directions:

    1. In large heavy-bottom pot, heat oil over medium burner and sauté onion for 4 minutes.
    2. Add beans, apple, molasses, mustard, cayenne, liquid smoke, epazote, cider and broth, stirring to combine.
    3. Increase heat and bring to a simmer.
    4. Lower heat to maintain a low simmer, cover and cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
    5. After first 45 minutes, stir and check liquid level every 30 minutes or so, adding additional broth if necessary.
    6. Add salt to taste at end of cooking time.

    Yield: about 8 cups


  • “Eat Every Three Hours”: Oh, Really?

    “Eat Every Three Hours”: Oh, Really?

    On a recent blog I talked about a popular tactic advocated by many personal trainers called “The Cheat Day”. As I explained on last weeks blog, the “cheat day” is a “day off” from your weekly diet, a day on which you can eat anything you like.

    Trainers who advocate this are clearly attempting to come up with a real-life weight-loss plan that works for their clients, and–as I pointed out last week– it may in fact work for some.

    But it doesn’t for everyone.

    Far from it.

    Which got me thinking.

    What other principles are being promoted out there that might have, shall we say, a less than perfect relationship with the truth?

    As it turns out quite a few. And I’ll be visiting some of them in the coming months. But right now  I want to deal with one I’m sure you’ve heard a million times, because virtually every personal trainer says it, and every magazine quotes it, and just about everyone believes it.

    All together now:  “Eat six small meals a day“.

    OK, you say, you haven’t heard it said quite this way. But I’ll bet you’ve heard “eat three big meals and two snacks”. Or another variation, “eat every three hours”. Certainly sounds good doesn’t it? And so reasonable, too!

    Trouble is, it’s just not true.

    Or at least not always true. And it’s not true often enough to make it of very questionable value as a golden rule of dieting.

    The “eat five (or six) small meals a day” concept came out of the same culture that the “cheat day” did- the bodybuilding culture of the 50’s. (In fact, many of the things we repeat as gospel today came out of that same culture- including the idea that you have to give each muscle group a couple of days off before training it again. But I digress.)

    The theory of “six small meals” is based on the idea that your body actually uses some calories digesting food, and digestion is a metabolic process, so every time you eat a meal it theoretically “raises” your metabolism (which is pretty close to a magic talisman in the world of weight-loss). By eating small meals frequently, the thinking goes, you constantly keep your metabolism elevated.

    Problem is that this is to metabolism and physiology what Dr. Phil is to psychological science.

    Every time you eat a meal your blood sugar goes up and the pancreas responds with a shot of insulin. When people have absolutely normal metabolisms, with no issues around carbohydrate processing, the system works fine. But in people for whom blood sugar response to food- and even more important, insulin response to blood sugar– is kind of screwed up, eating frequently may actually work against you.

    The constant elevation of blood sugar (and the subsequent raising of the fat storage hormone insulin) just about guarantees that your body will never have to reach into its stores of fat to find energy to burn since there’s a constant supply of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream (thanks to that meal you ate a couple hours ago and are about to repeat).

    Fact is– as many people can attest to from personal experience– it’s perfectly possible to do quite well on three squares a day.

    Snacking isn’t necessary, and in some cases, may be counterproductive. For some people, keeping insulin low for most of the day sets up a favorable metabolic environment and may also keep cravings at bay.

    And let’s not even talk about the fact that most people haven’t the slightest idea of what the “small” in “six small meals” refers to. Our sense of portion size has been so distorted by routine restaurant eating that many of us have come to classify a meal that would fill out the flat side of a Bosu ball as a “snack”.

    The bottom line is this: If eating every three hours or so is working for you that’s great. If you really feel better on such a routine, by all means carry on.

    But if you’re one of the many people who just don’t “get it”, and for whom frequent snacking (or the “grazing” way of eating) causes you to think about food all the time, produces cravings, and results in overeating, don’t beat yourself up. You may be one of the people for whom the mantra about eating “to keep your metabolism up” just isn’t true.

    And if that’s so, don’t be afraid to go back to basics. Three definite meals, each with a beginning and an end, each nutritionally dense and filling.

    And nothing in between.

  • The Fabulous Pistachio: Don’t Ignore This Healthy Snack

    The Fabulous Pistachio: Don’t Ignore This Healthy Snack

    If pistachio nuts had a public-relations agent, she would have been mighty happy with the results of a recent study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

    The study was the most comprehensive analysis of nut and seed varieties to date, examining twenty-seven different products. Though pistachio nuts didn’t have the highest phytosterol content of all (that honor went to sesame seeds and wheat germ), they did have the highest phytosterol content of any product generally thought to be a “snack food”.

    The main phytosterol identified in the nut and seed samples was beta-sitosterol, which is known not only for lowering cholesterol but for supporting prostate health.

    Last year at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, pistachios had a strong presence with two new research studies showing how the natural properties of pistachio can make for more mindful eating which in turn can help you reduce calorie intake without feeling restricted.

    The S-L-O-W Down Shell

    Dr. James Painter, a behavioral eating expert for more than 18 years and professor and chair of School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University presented his latest research in this area; two studies on “The Pistachio Principle,” which encompasses these mindful eating techniques.

    “The research shows that our perception of how much food we need to become satiated and maintain a healthy body weight is skewed by many environmental factors,” says Dr. Painter. “We eat more food if we eat off of a bigger dinner plate; we’ll eat more potato chips if they come in a larger bag.”

    Painter added that mindless eating essentially means we are ignoring hunger cues that tell us to stop, but said that small behavioral changes can help people eat less without feeling deprived.

    In Painter’s first study, 140 subjects self selected a portion of pistachios as they entered the classroom and the weight of the selected portion was recorded.  At the end of the class, the weight of the remaining pistachios was recorded and subjects were surveyed to determine their fullness and satisfaction.

    In condition one, the subjects were offered in-shell pistachios and consumed an average of 125 calories.  In condition two, subjects were offered shelled pistachios and consumed an average of 211 calories, a difference of 86 calories.  Those who snacked on in-shell pistachios consumed 41 percent fewer calories compared to those who snacked on shelled nuts and fullness and satisfaction ratings were not significantly different.  The shell changed the package of the pistachios, adding volume and it slowed consumption, allowing for hunger cues to be activated, reducing overall calorie intake.

    Visual Cue to Cut Calories

    In the second study, subjects were offered pistachios to eat at their desk over the course of 8 hours. A bowl of the in-shell nuts was provided, and refilled at regular intervals. But in one condition, the shells were allowed to keep mounting up, and the bowl holding the shells stayed on the subjects desk. In the second condition, the bowl with the empty shells was emptied every couple of hours.

    When the shells were allowed to mount up, subjects consumed 18% fewer calories than when the bowl with the empty shells was periodically emptied. Interestingly, the fullness and satisfaction ratings were the same for both groups. (This study echoes one done by Brian Wansink in which he had guys chow down on buffalo wings; when the bones kept being removed by the waitress, the guys ate significantly more than when the bones were allowed to pile up on the table.)

    The point: visual cues have a lot to do with how much we eat. The nature of pistachios makes it easier for people to be mindful of their snacking behavior- after all, you’ve got the proof of how much you’re eating right in front of you in the form of an escalating pile of shells! When those shells sit there, people are more mindful of their snacking behavior and calorie intake is reduced naturally without feelings of deprivation.

    These and other studies underscore the notion that pistachios are a healthy snack to add to any weight management plan because they are a good source of protein and fiber.  Pistachios also offer 49 kernels per serving – more than any other nut.  Comparatively, almonds have 23 in a serving, walnuts 14 halves and cashews, 18.

  • Lemon Honey Melon Salad with Chevre and Pistachios

    Lemon Honey Melon Salad with Chevre and Pistachios

    The following recipe is just for readers of this newsletter, “In Step With Jonny”—it’s from the just-released book, “The Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth” by myself and my co-author, chef extraordinaire Jeannette Bessinger. Enjoy!

    Lemon Honey Melon Salad with Chevre and Pistachios

    In my humble opinion, great chefs and great musicians have a lot in common.

    Great musicians take the same twelve tones that exist in the Western scales and rearrange them in constantly surprising, novel, interesting ways that ordinary mortals would never think of. Chefs do the same with ingredients. I love honeydew melon (and cantaloupe, too) but never in a million years would I think of pairing it with goat cheese and pistachios. (That’s why Chef Jeannette is the chef and I’m the nutritionist!) What a burst of flavor and texture! Fresh, light, and sweet, this dish is got something for everyone—the sweetness of the melon, the tartness of the cheese, and the crunchiness of the nuts. It’s surprisingly reasonable in calories too, largely because the salad is mostly water by weight. And pistachios- like most nuts- are high in minerals (potassium and phosphorus) as well as being a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat  Note: Get melon at the peak of the summer season so it’s bursting with flavor!

    –Dr Jonny

    Lemon Honey Melon Salad with Chevre and Pistachios

    3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

    2 tablespoons raw honey

    1 teaspoon lemon zest

    1/4 cup roasted, salted, shelled pistachio meats

    1 ripe cantaloupe or ½ large ripe honey dew melon, unpeeled, seeded, and cut into 4 slices

    2 cups ripe strawberries, stemmed and halved

    ¼ cup chevre

    In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, and zest until well-incorporated.

    In a sandwich-sized plastic bag, lightly crush the pistachios with a mallet or rolling pin.

    Lay out the melon slices and fill with even portions of the strawberry halves. Dot evenly with chevre and drizzle dressing over all, to taste. Top with crushed pistachios.

    Yield: 4 servings

  • Featured Recipe: Fast and Fiery Smoked Trout Wraps

    Featured Recipe: Fast and Fiery Smoked Trout Wraps

    The following recipe is just for readers of “In Step With Jonny”—it’s an advance preview of our forthcoming book, “The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth” by myself and my co-author, chef extraordinaire Jeannette Bessinger. Enjoy!

    Trout, found in rushing streams of cold clear water, are probably one of the most sought after sport fish. If you’re lucky enough to eat one of these guys, you’ll understand why fisherman stand for hours in the water wearing big high uncomfortable rubber boots trying to outsmart them. They’re simply delicious- (the fish not the boots!)

    They’re interesting too- some species actually spend part of their lives in fresh water and part of their lives in salt. (Unfortunately most of the trout in America is farm raised and the taste varies considerably depending on the food that they’re fed and the conditions under which they’re rasied.)

    But enough of trout trivia. Trout is a protein powerhouse (about 20 grams in a mere three ounces), low in calories (144 calories for 3 ounces cooked fish) and an excellent source of both niacin and vitamin B12. I’m particularly fond of the yogurt based sauce in this recipe which complement the fish wonderfully– the snap of the horseradish and the tang of the lemon nicely mellow the salty smokiness of the trout in this elegant and delicious wrap. Enjoy!

    Fast and Fiery Smoked Trout Wraps with Horseradish Sauce

    Ingredients:

    1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

    2 tablespoons prepared horseradish sauce, or to taste

    2 teaspoons lemon juice

    ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

    4 roasted red peppers, drained (prepared) and diced

    2 7-ounce cold-smoked trout fillets, flaked

    4 large whole grain wraps (or can serve open face on toasted slices of hearty bread, such as Mestemacher Sunflower Seed or Rye Bread)

    4 cups watercress or baby spring greens

    1/3 English cucumber, peeled and grated, optional

    Directions:

    In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, horseradish, lemon juice, and pepper.

    Add diced peppers and flaked trout and mix gently to combine.

    Lay out the wraps and place 1 cup of greens in the middle.

    Divide the cucumber, if using, evenly among the wraps and add to the greens.

    Spoon one quarter of the dressed trout/pepper mixture over the greens and cucumber, roll the wraps closed, slice in half and serve them, edged-down, on the plate.

    Yield: 4 wraps

    From Chef Jeannette:

    To complete the meal: serve these wraps with modest portions (3/4 ounce) of prepared roasted vegetable chips, such as Terra Exotic Vegetable chips and/or fresh, ripe Anjou pears.

  • Featured Recipe: Decadent Better-Fat Walnut Brownies

    Featured Recipe: Decadent Better-Fat Walnut Brownies

    The following recipe for decadent, healthy brownies is just for readers of this newsletter, “In Step With Jonny”—it’s an advance preview of our forthcoming book, “The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Meals on Earth” by myself and my co-author, chef extraordinaire Jeannette Bessinger. Enjoy! (more…)

  • Are Gourmet Salts Better For Your Health?

    Are Gourmet Salts Better For Your Health?

    There are an awful lot of claims being made for gourmet salt and they fall into two categories: health benefits and taste. The wide variety of tastes and textures available in gourmet salts is undeniable (more on that in a moment). The health benefits… not so much.

    Many integrative medicine experts — like David B, MD and Edward Group, ND — have gone on record as saying that common table salt is empty of any nutritional value, as all the valuable minerals have been removed in the processing. (more…)

  • Featured Recipe: (No-Cooking!) Creamy Waldorf Slaw in Seconds

    Featured Recipe: (No-Cooking!) Creamy Waldorf Slaw in Seconds

    The following recipe is just for readers of this newsletter, “In Step With Jonny”—it’s an advance preview of our forthcoming book, “The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Meals on Earth” by myself and my co-author, chef extraordinaire Jeannette Bessinger. Enjoy! (more…)