The Key to Healthy Skin as we Age – Vitamin C

A recent study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that looked at the role that Vitamin C, Linoleic acid, fat, carbohydrates, diet and ‘nutrients’ play in skin health.

Researchers used the data from the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine associations between nutrient intakes and skin aging. They sent 4,025 women between the ages of 40 and 74 surveys that included a 24 hour recall of what they eat. Clinical examinations of the skin were conducted by dermatologists and skin-aging appearance was defined as having a wrinkled appearance, senile dryness, and skin atrophy.

The conclusion was that higher intakes of vitamin C and linoleic acid, as well as lower intakes of fat and carbohydrates may improve the appearance of aging skin.

There is no doubt that increased vitamin C intake from diet would show improvement in the skin, as vitamin C is essential in collagen repair. Many other studies have shown the benefit of antioxidants such as vitamin C, have on skin health. The same is the case with omega-3 fatty acids.

The other conclusion of the study was that a 17 gram increase in fat intake was associated with a 28% increased likelihood of a wrinkled appearance and a 37% increased risk of skin atrophy. They also concluded that a 50 g increase in carbohydrate intake was associated with a 36% increased likelihood of a wrinkled appearance and a 33% increased risk of skin atrophy. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "Higher intakes of vitamin C and linoleic acid and lower intakes of fats and carbohydrates are associated with better skin-aging appearance. Promoting healthy dietary behaviors may have additional benefit for skin appearance in addition to other health outcomes in the population."

These next conclusions are rather misleading, however. Readers are left to believe that they must pretty much just eat vitamin C, linoleic acid and protein! But, animal proteins can increase oxidation, aging and the risk of a multiple number of diseases.

So let’s break apart this last section of the conclusion. First of all, if a person were to replace 17 grams of animal fat with plant fat, not only could they improve their skin health, but their overall health. Studies (not listed) have actually shown that when people replace the animal fats with plant fats in their diet, they can actually lose weight even if they have not decreased total fat intake.

Second, 50 grams of carbohydrate is just a fraction of the amount of carbohydrate most people eat in the course of a day! You can easily decrease your diet by 50 grams of carbohydrate by eliminating 3 servings of fruits (which you don’t want to do), or 10 servings of vegetables (you DEFINITELY don’t want to do, even if you did eat that many), or 4 servings of dairy (includes yogurt), or eliminating 3 servings of starches. Most people think of starches when they say ‘carbohydrates’, not realizing that fruits, veggies and dairy products are also carbohydrate sources. However, the reason carbohydrates have such a bad rap is people either overeat their starches or they eat refined, empty choices of starches.

So what is the take-away from this study? Women in particular tend to eat too few servings of fruits and vegetables. At least 95 of all my clients I have worked with in my nutrition practice have averaged less than 3 servings of these foods a day before we started working together. Not only were they concerned with their skin, as all aging women are (and we are ALL aging), but they generally also tend to suffer from a slow digestive system, leading them to take products that stimulate their bowels. This can be prevented by adequate intake of fruits, vegetables and WHOLE grain starches.

So, eat your fruits and veggies!

To read the abstract of this study, click here;
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/4/1225
To read three other studies supporting the role of antioxidants in skin health,
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The Role of Fructose in Health

People are running away from ‘sugar’ as if it has become the ultimate killer. However, regular table sugar (sucrose), when used in moderation, can be a healthy part of a healthy diet.

However, fructose, when not eaten in its natural form of fruit (or used as a carbohydrate source during prolonged exercise), is another story.

An excellent review article, presented in its entirety, addressed this very issue in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

It is not new news that in America, one third of our population suffers from obesity, that children are quickly catching up to this figure, that high blood pressure effects anywhere from one third to two thirds of Americans, and that diabetes is a growing epidemic, which leads to kidney failure, among other complications.

The authors of the review study propose that sugars containing fructose may play a major role in the development of obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and in the subsequent development of kidney disease. They believe that fructose may be at the heart of the problem.

Although sugar intake is comparatively recent, the big change was in the early 1970’s, when high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced. It was found to be cheaper, had a more stable shelf life and was easy to add to soft drinks, fruit punches, prepared desserts and processed foods. All of this has resulted in an increase of overall sweetener intake by 30% in the last 40 years, most of which comes from soft drinks. It is estimated that an average 150 pound person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day from these products. A pound equals 3500 calories, so this means that if a person eats/drinks an extra 500 calories a day, they will gain one pound a week. (Thus, on the other end, if you want to lose a pound a week, decrease 500 calories a week!)

So, we know how the extra calories can be pounded into the previously sleek and healthy human body. But how did the researchers conclude that this has all been the result of fructose intake? Let’s consider a few key examples they site in the review:

• Multiple studies have linked increased triglyceride levels with increased sucrose supplementation (for research purposes).
• Multiple studies have also linked increased blood pressure with sucrose intake.
• In multiple studies, fructose has been directly linked to the development of metabolic syndrome.
• Studies have also repeatedly shown an increase in kidney disease development with the intake of fructose.
• Finally, multiple studies have been investigating the role that fructose plays in obesity. The conclusion is that fructose inhibits the hunger rating, tricking the body into thinking it’s still hungry. Consequently, food companies have found that if they add HFCS to foods that normally don’t need it, they can trigger the stimulus for people to eat more of their product.
• Finally, studies have linked the increased intake of fructose to an increase in uric acid. Although most people think of gout when they read about uric acid, the researchers believe that there is a direct link between increased uric acid and heart disease.

So here we are again at that point where we talk about what you can take away from this study. It’s very simple, really. Do you drink sodas? Although most people today might drink diet sodas, and that’s a different issue for a different Health News, if you drink regular sodas today and want to lose weight, start creating a strategy to decrease how many you drink each day. Experiment with waters (calorie-free). Most people don’t drink enough water, and the lack of THAT nutrient also leads to increased disease risks.

What else can you do? If you or your kids drink fruit juices, look at the label. Is HFCS an ingredient? If so, experiment with more ‘natural’ fruit juices that are free of added sweeteners. Also experiment with cooking foods and decreasing processed foods and snacks.

You do have a choice in your health and that of your family. But you have to be willing to take the time to prepare healthy foods from scratch and read labels. What cost are you willing to pay for NOT making these changes?

To read the entire article addressed, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/86/4/899

Good News for the Vegetarian in You!

by Whitney Barns

Let’s admit it; plenty of us out there are looking for a quick fix to those soft love-handles left over from last holiday season. When you think about weight loss, you may roll your eyes, throw back your head and complain that nothing ever works! This is a common complaint among many people, whether they consume a “normal” omnivore diet, a vegetarian diet, a vegan diet or something somewhere in between.

Many people have seen the “Got Milk” advertisements informing the public of milk’s ability to assist in weight loss, as a part of a healthy diet. The ad campaign claims that the nutrients in milk, along with a low calorie diet, will help a person to lose weight from body fat and shrink the waist. So what about those who don’t drink milk, whether due to allergy or intolerance, type of diet, or plain old preference? There’s good news for you! A recent study found that equal weight loss from fat can be achieved from making soy milk a staple part of your diet in just the same way cow’s milk can.

In the study, a relatively small number of overweight and obese women with approximately the same body compositions were randomly assigned to incorporate three cups per day of either cow’s milk or soymilk into their diets. Since previous studies had found high calcium intake to be inversely related to low body fat and weight, the soy milk was Light Silk soy milk, which is calcium fortified. To make all factors equal, protein was added to the soymilk to equal the composition of cow’s milk. The women’s personal energy requirements were determined at the beginning of the study, and then 500 calories were deducted to induce weight loss in both groups of participants. No nutritional supplements were allowed and caffeine intake remained constant at pre-study intake levels (for those coffee addicts out there!) throughout the duration of the study. Exercise schedules were monitored to make sure that no participants increased their level of activity because although exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, it is not always the focus of losing weight!

By the end of the eight week study, “the average weight loss of participants receiving soy milk and skim milk was 9.4 lbs. and 8.3 lbs., respectively. Reductions were equally seen in changes in weight, fat percentage, abdominal circumference, and fat free mass between soy milk and skim milk groups. This small study conducted using women just like you provides some encouragement that healthy weight loss can occur with low intake or no intake of cow’s milk—it only takes the simple substitution of soy milk with plenty of calcium and a healthy, reduced calorie diet! More thorough studies involving soy products and weight loss are still to come, so until then, keep your body healthy, your belly happy, and your taste buds tingling!

To help you on your way to a slim and healthy body, it is recommended by the USDA to consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. Each cup of fat-free milk contains 90 calories, 9 grams of protein and 310 milligrams of Calcium—that’s 30% of your daily needs for calcium! Calcium can also come from other dairy sources, such as yogurt, cheese and many others. For those of you who drink soy milk instead, the Light Silk soy milk from the study mentioned above, as an example, contains 70 calories per cup, 6 grams of protein, and 30% of your recommended intake of calcium for the day! Drink your way thin by including 3 cups of one, or some of both, of these calcium providing drinks as part of a regular, low calorie diet, then just watch your waistline shrink!


To view abstract to original article, click here. (http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822307014745/abstract)

What Does Your Loaf of Bread Say About You?

By Whitney Barns

There has been quite a bit in the news these past few years about “whole-grain” this and “refined-grain” that. So what does it all mean and what does it really have to do with you? Recently, a large scale study was done looking at a wide range of previously conducted studies in an attempt to actually answer that question for you. So what does carbohydrate quantity and quality have to do with you, and what does it have to do with your weight?

Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the effect a carbohydrate source has on blood sugar levels, in other words, how quickly the carbohydrate is broken down and absorbed into the blood. Low glycemic index foods include most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, basmati rice and pasta. High glycemic index foods include refined grains such as white bread, white rice, corn flakes and baked potatoes. Glycemic load (GL) is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their glycemic index and portion size. Many studies have been done to look at the correlation between eating foods with high or low glycemic indices and their effects on individual’s Body Mass Index (BMI).

A variety of studies have been done, ranging from small scale to large, based on interventions or based on habits of specific populations, or a handful of other groupings to determine carbohydrate’s effect on body weight. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of which kind of carbohydrate is “best” because each person’s body can react differently than another’s. Factors such as diabetes, overweight or obesity and physical activity level should also be considered. Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugars are higher than normal and can be hard to regulate. High glycemic index foods, such as white bread, can cause a rapid influx of glucose into the blood. This can be moderated by consumption of less refined grains that take longer to break down and enter the blood. Along with blood sugar control, whole grains tend to keep people feeling full longer. This helps anyone, whether they are normal weight, overweight, or obese to control their intake. Consuming a diet high in whole grains, and cueing in on true feelings of hunger can help an overweight individual to reduce the amount of snacking and excess calories eaten. Now that we’ve talked about the almighty whole grains, let’s not forget about the refined grains. These grains are actually good for athletes who need a more readily available store of energy. Energy for exercise comes from carbohydrates, so a pre-workout snack or meal with a sufficient amount of high GI foods is actually good for this situation where glucose is needed fast.

This meta-analysis study, or “study of other studies”, from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that whole-grain intake is generally inversely associated with BMI; refined grain intake is not. So, the higher the intake of carbohydrates from whole grains in the diet, the lower the body mass index of an individual. It also found that because overall dietary quality tends to be higher for high-carbohydrate diets, a low-fat dietary strategy with emphasis on fiber-rich carbohydrates, particularly cereal fiber, may be beneficial for health and weight control. It cannot be said that high GI/GL diets are necessarily bad for you, since many studies have conflicting findings, but it can definitely be concluded that low GI carbohydrates are good for you. Intake of high fiber, whole grain carbohydrate diets do correlate with better weight control, lower risk for weight related diseases and increased vitamin and mineral intake.

Now that you have the information you need, get out there and get into carbs! A diet high in whole fiber should be packed with fruits, veggies and whole grain breads to give you the energy to get you through the day feeling full and snacking less on unhealthy foods. Don’t let anyone tell you a high carbohydrate diet is bad for you again--simply explain the benefits that all carbs have to offer and show them just how healthy they, too, can be!

To view original article’s abstract, click here.

Don’t Throw Away Those Fruit Peels Yet!

A new study from the UK has shown that a compound contained in a tangerine peel can kill certain cancer cells.

Human cancer cells contain an enzyme called P450 CYP1B1. CYP1B1 is a cytochrome P450 enzyme over expressed in a variety of malignant tumors. Studies have shown a functional role for CYP1B1 in drug resistance. During this study, a compound called Salvestrol Q40, which is contained in the tangerine peel, destroyed this enzyme.

While this may seem exciting, more research needs to be done. Researchers are very optimistic about this finding. They are going as far as developing an anti-cancer medication containing Salvestrols.

In our diet, Salvestrols are found in the skin of fruits. Unfortunately, these are usually discarded. Medicinal chemist Dr Hoon L. Tan said: "Salvestrols may offer a new mechanism of dietary anti-cancer action. Indeed, the depletion of salvestrols in the modern diet is due to the fact that many people no longer eat the skin of fruits and this may be a major contributory factor to the increasing incidence of some cancers in the human population."

This finding puts a whole new spin on eating your fruits and veggies. No one ever mentioned eating the skin of your fruits and veggies! Though they may not be as tasty as the actual fruit, with the possible health benefits, they are well worth it!

If you are not daring enough to eat tangerine peels just yet, not to worry! You can also eat the skin of fruits and vegetables such as apples, tomatoes, or potatoes. You can also zest the peel of an orange, or lemon on top of frozen yogurt to add some flavor!

To read this article go to: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82015.php