Nutrition

Low Fat vs Low Carb

At a time when Americans are getting fatter and struggle to find a strategy to combat the obesity epidemic, the rift between proponents of low fat vs low carb eating remains intact.  Both philosophies have fans and detractors, but the mixed messages in the media create confusion about what truly is healthy for average individuals to consume.  Obesity has been associated with an increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, several different cancers and premature death.  So, finding the right remedy is more than just a matter of vanity and looking good in a swim suit, it is a matter of length and quality of life. Read the rest of this entry »

Statins and Cholesterol: Hope or Hype?

Cholesterol had become the indisputable villain for heart disease over the last several decades.  After all, it seemed intuitive that cholesterol was the cause of heart disease, since cholesterol made up a large portion of the vascular plaque that characterized atherosclerotic heart disease.  But as the understanding of cholesterol metabolism has become better delineated, the connection between cholesterol and the cause of heart disease has become considerably more tenuous, and the role of statin drugs questionable. Read the rest of this entry »

Are You Playing With A Loaded Gun?

One of the most shocking surprises to emerge from the Human Genome Project in 2003 is the discovery that we are the proud owners of a paltry 30,000 genes — barely twice the number of a fruit fly.

After a decade of hype surrounding the project that gave us the full sequence of our human genome, and the regular discovery of genes for killer diseases and complex traits, this unexpected result led many scientists to a stunning conclusion. The seesaw struggle between our genes (nature) and the environment (nurture) had swung sharply in favor of nurture. “We simply do not have enough genes for this idea of biological determinism to be right,” asserted Craig Venter, president of Celera Genomics, one of the two teams that cracked the human genome. Read the rest of this entry »

How Your Diet Affects Bone Health

As a doctor practicing integrative medicine, I find that education is as important to my patients as anything else I do.  We focus on maintaining health and vitality of individuals instead of curing diseases, so dietary and lifestyle choices are often more effective than any medication I can prescribe.  In a perfect world, making healthy choices would be simple.  Unfortunately, the information that we have to guide these choices is often confusing, contradictory, incomplete, or flat-out wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Vitamin D and Healthy Living

Both medical journals and the popular press over the last several years have been replete with information about the adverse health risks associated with insufficient vitamin D.  Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease[1], diabetes[2], certain cancers[3], osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, obesity, multiple sclerosis[4] and chronic pain.[5] Read the rest of this entry »

Diabetes Can Be Prevented

Over the last 20 years, there has been a frightening increase in the number of Americans that are obese or overweight.  Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), has tracked the rise in obese and overweight adults since 1999.   Using BMI, or Body mass Index, the survey found that 32% of men and 35% of women were classified as obese; having BMI’s exceeding 30.  Read the rest of this entry »

Lifestyle Changes for Fat Loss – Nutrition

When New Year’s Day rolled around, many people resolved to lose weight in 2010.  How many of them are on track to be successful?  Every year, the majority of people making weight loss resolutions fail to achieve them.  The result of these failures is highlighted in a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control that estimated the body fat percentage of a typical American woman to be 40% and the typical American man at 28% based on a six year analysis of data.[i]  Although it varies somewhat by age, the optimal body fat for women is 18-22% and for men 15-18%.  Nearly double?  This is not good news. Read the rest of this entry »

The Good and Bad of Fish Oil

By now, nearly everyone has heard about the tremendous health benefits of consuming fish oil supplements that contain essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They are considered essential because they are vital for good health but cannot be produced by our bodies.[i]  Proper cell function is dependent upon the balance of these fats. The typical American diet has an over abundance of omega-6 fatty acids from refined oils, processed foods and grain fed meat, which has upset that balance. Read the rest of this entry »

Nutrition Myths Busted by Cassandra Forsythe, PhD, RD

Despite years of research and top-quality science, the world of nutrition is still riddled with flawed thinking. Most people feel that because they eat, they must be experts in nutrition. However, it’s not really their fault if their reasoning is wrong. Most people get their nutrition beliefs from the news and it seems that reporters change their minds almost as often as people change their socks, which is mostly true. One day you read that eggs give you heart disease, the next day you hear that this was wrong and they’re actually good for you. What’s a person to believe? Well, the best thing to do is to think like your grandparents when it comes to food. What do I mean by that? Well, if your grandparents wouldn’t recognize the food or nutrition advice, then it’s probably not good for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Healthy Eating with Cassandra Forsythe, PhD, RD