Atkins Absolved, Again

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has concluded that eating a low-carb, high-fat diet does not raise the risk of heart disease. Too bad Dr. Atkins didn’t live to see his work vindicated.

But guess what else the study found? Women who got their carbohydrates from refined sugar nearly doubled their risk. Unfortunately, the response to the sugar issue from the immediate past president of the American Heart Association was disappointing, to say the least. While noting that the study “certainly raises questions: about the role of refined sugar, he concluded that medical guidelines will not be changed.

Hmmm, let’s see…childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, all on the rise. Yet all he can say is that it certainly raises questions. Excuse me Mr. Past-AHA-President, but don’t you think you might consider some slightly stronger reaction? Perhaps, a warning to your public? The study certainly does raise some questions, and not just about sugar. For example, the study also found that eating fat from vegetables sources rather than animal sources lowered the risk by 30%.

Of course, no study can answer all our questions, but we can learn something useful if we see each bit of information as just another piece of the Total Wellness puzzle. As always, increase your consumption of fruits and veggies. And realize that eating meat — especially if it’s hormone-free and grass-fed, and is eaten in moderation — won’t increase your risk of heart disease. And, Mr. Past-President, I am willing to go out on the proverbial limb and say “No!” to refined sugar.

Here a Bug, There a Bug

My, there seem to be a lot of pesky bacteria these days wreaking havoc on the immune systems of unsuspecting humans. Take the recent furor over e.coli-contaminated spinach. It was troubling, but it offers some productive (and non-toxic) food for thought.

Why, for example, did some people exposed to the e.coli bacterium not succumb to its effects? Similarly, when a class of third graders is exposed together to a strep throat infection, why do only some of them get sick?

Let’s begin by acknowledging that “germ theory” is not a fiction. And, yes, bacteria are at the root of many evils. But, we are constantly bombarded with bacteria, with viruses (and with fear about potential bacteria and viruses). We move from e. coli to Ebola to West Nile virus to Avian flu. Not to mention the seasonal “flu from somewhere.” Yet, as the above examples illustrate, the germ theory doesn’t explain everything.

So, why do some people get sick and others skate? Well, to begin with, resistance to disease is, to a certain extent, a product of our genetic inheritance. But there is much we can do on a practical level to be proactive and not simply reactive.

One thing that’s in our control is eating healthily. Think organic. Think fruits and vegetables. Think clean, grass-fed proteins. There are some basic supplements that are a good idea for most of us. Probiotics, for example. Let’s keep those friendly gut bacteria plentiful. A good multivitamin, especially if you’re not doing too well, or too consistently, on the “good foods” track.

And all of us would benefit from a regular “green drink.” We like veggie-based GreensFirst and its berry-based cousin, Red Alert. Both supply much--needed antioxidants. It’s also a good idea to determine to your individual areas of compromise or vulnerability, and to take supplements targeted for those conditions.