Fats and Oils

Eating the right oils can help you avoid some major chronic diseases. Opinion has changed often on these oils – however they still play major roles in heart disease and inflammation.

A problem with the Westernized diet is often due to an imbalance in our fat intake. We have been oversold on both the “dangers” of saturated fat as well as on the alleged goodness of polyunsaturated fats. What about coconut oil? The true picture is more complex. The latest guidelines still limits saturated fat while others contend that “all saturated fat is not bad for you. One thing to keep in mind is: The balance between the omega 6s and the omega 3s are both essential to human health; However, the 6’s are considered inflammatory while the 3 s are anti-inflammatory. We use fats and oils in cooking – so it becomes important to know a few hints on how to use them.

Thus: Our Oil /Fat Guide At A Glance

Some saturated fat is good for us.

Omega-3s are very, very good for us.

Monounsaturated fats are good for us. They have one double bond and usually considered “heart healthy” or neutral in their effects.

Omega-6s are good for us if balanced with the 3’s.( if not processed and refined to death.) Corn oil is a common one.

Reused (reheated) vegetable oils are really, really bad. When used repeatedly as the oil for deep fried foods, they are really, really, bad. So, limit the deep fried.

Trans fats are “metabolic”s poison. The acceptable level in the diet is zero. Read the product’s Nutrition Facts label.

Extra virgin (EVOO) olive oil is in a class by itself, although a plant oil. It contains a lot of compounds called phenols which are antioxidants. Translation: The stuff is really good for you and is a major component of the Mediterranean Diet (a favored way to spend the rest of your diet choices.)

How are your telomeres?

Review Nutr Hosp

. 2019 Dec 26;36(6):1403-1417.

doi: 10.20960/nh.02673.

Diet, physical activity and telomere length in adults

What are telomeres? They are bits of DNA at the end of a chromosome that protects it during cell replication.

What is telomerase? An ezyme, often referred to as “anti-aging”, that maintains telomeres, helping to keep them long, thus active. (SJF)

María Jossé Navarro-Ibarra  1 Jesús Hernández  2 Graciela Caire-Juvera  2

Affiliations

Abstract in English, Spanish

Telomere length (TL) is a predictive biomarker of premature aging. Telomere shortening has been linked to age-related diseases and noncommunicable diseases (NCD), and may reflect the effects of behavioral, psychosocial and environmental factors on health status. Telomere attrition can be affected by lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity. The search of studies included in this review was conducted on PubMed Central database. A majority of studies are cross-sectional, as there is a clear lack of prospective studies to evaluate the individual effect of dietary components, dietary patterns, and physical activity on TL in the long term. The current literature suggests that high adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD), with consumption of antioxidants, fiber and vegetables, as well as seeds and walnuts, is associated with longer TL. The dietary components of a healthy diet, such as carotenoids, vitamins A, C, D, E, polyphenols, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids could help maintain TL. In contrast, a high consumption of sugary beverages, processed meat, and proinflammatory diets is associated with telomere shortening. In a majority of studies TL is positively associated with moderate physical activity. The predominant mechanisms through which a healthy diet and moderate physical exercise could mitigate telomere attrition include decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation. We shall not discuss the associations of possible risk or protective factors in terms of causality since the majority of studies are cross-sectional and randomized controlled trials are limited; accordingly, some results are inconclusive. For future research, we suggest evaluating the individual effects of dietary components, dietary patterns and physical activity, considering repeated measurements and exercise intensity, on TL. It is also advisable to include biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation proteins, and to measure telomerase activity.

Keywords: Longitud de los telómeros. Dieta. Actividad física..

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What Could Go Wrong?

Concept Check: How DID We Get this OLD?

Although life span has not changed, life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past century,

With rare exceptions, life expectancy has been on the rise in the U.S. It was 47 years in 1900, 68 years in 1950, and by 2019 it had risen to nearly 79 years. But it fell to 77 in 2020 and dropped further to just over 76 in 2021. (can you think Covid?) Harvard Health.

The causes of aging are still a mystery.Most likely, aging results from an interaction of genetic and the changes listed in the table below: The science of epigenetics also can offer lifestyle factors to further influence the changes that normally occur with “normal aging”.

Aging occurs due when:
Errors occur in copying the genetic blueprint (DNA)
Connective tissue stiffens. Parallel muscle proteins cross link.
Electron – seeking compounds (free radicals) damage cell.
Hormone functions change.
Blood glucose attaches to various blood and body proteins. Occurs in poorly controllled diabetes
The immune system loses some efficiency and fails to recognize foreign substances.
Autoimmunity develops. Immune function cells destroy “self”.
Death is programmed into the cell, e.g. each cell can only divide about 50 times; after that the cell dies and succumbs.
Excess energy intake speeds body breakdown and may even cause premature death. In research, underfed animals live longer by calorie restriction. Diet can slow down some of these processes?

Source: Gordon M. Wardlaw. Contemporary Nutrition: Issues and Insights. Page 518-520.
Edited for Food, Facts and Fads by: Sally J. Feltner, MS, PhD

WOW!!! What else could go wrong?

The Way They Eat:

A Harvard nutritionist and a neuroscientist agree this is the No. 1 food for a healthy brain

Published Sat, Mar 9 202412:00 PM EST

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Renée Onque@iamreneeonque

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Brain food resembling a brain.

David Malan | Stone | Getty Images

What you eat can, and does, impact the function of your brain, including your ability to ward off Alzheimer’s disease and there are certain foods — like sunflower seeds and whole grains — that provide greater benefits.

There is one food in particular that Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard nutritionist, and Lisa Genova, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, say is the key to a healthy brain: Green leafy vegetables.

DON’T MISS: 5 doctors and nutritionists share the foods they eat every day for brain health, longevity and overall wellness

The No. 1 food for a healthy brain: Green leafy vegetables

Across the board, experts agree that eating leafy greens is essential for overall health, especially for your brain.

Some of the green leafy vegetables that you can add to your meals are:

  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Lettuces
  • Cabbage
  • Swiss chard
  • Bok choy
  • Mustard greens

3 reasons experts say a diet rich in leafy greens is good for your brain

1. They’re rich in B vitamins

Often, conditions like depression and dementia are associated with a vitamin B deficiency, according to a study from the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Green leafy vegetables are a wonderful source of vitamin B9, Naidoo told CNBC Make It in 2022. The vitamin, also known as folate, is “a key vitamin for supporting brain and neurological health, optimal neurotransmitter function, and balanced psychological health,” she added.

Leafy greens are the first type of food that Naidoo suggests for her patients who are looking to boost their mood.

2. They’re high in brain-boosting nutrients

Green leafy vegetables are also full of what Genova calls “brain-boosting nutrients” including folate, lutein and beta-carotene.

Lutein has been linked to an improvement in brain function and brain structure for older adults. And a systematic review found that taking beta-carotene supplements can boost “verbal and cognitive memory.”

3. They’re full of fiber

Increasing intake of dietary fiber was associated with a lower chance of developing depression, a study published in “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” in 2021 found.

Naidoo prefers to recommend getting more fiber through your diet, specifically plant-based foods. And leafy greens just so happen to be fiber-dense.

Food for Thought

Ultra-processed food linked to 32 harmful effects to health, review finds

World’s largest review finds direct associations with higher risks of cancer, heart disease and early death

Andrew Gregory Health editor

@andrewgregoryWed 28 Feb 2024 18.30 ESTLast modified on Wed 28 Feb 2024 21.31 EST

Ultra-processed food (UPF) is directly linked to 32 harmful effects to health, including a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, adverse mental health and early death, according to the world’s largest review of its kind.

The findings from the first comprehensive umbrella review of evidence come amid rapidly rising global consumption of UPF such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food.

In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of ultra-processed food. For some, especially people who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPF is typical.

Energy drinks in a supermarket

Read more

The findings published in the BMJ suggest diets high in UPF may be harmful to many elements of health. The results of the review involving almost 10 million people underscored a need for measures to target and reduce exposure to UPF, the researchers said.

The review involved experts from a number of leading institutions, including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US, the University of Sydney and Sorbonne University in France.

Writing in the BMJ, they concluded: “Overall, direct associations were found between exposure to ultra-processed foods and 32 health parameters spanning mortality, cancer, and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic health outcomes.”

They added: “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorders and mortality outcomes.

“These findings provide a rationale to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of using population-based and public-health measures to target and reduce dietary exposure to ultra-processed foods for improved human health.”

Ultra-processed foods, including packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, and ready-to-eat or ready meals, undergo multiple industrial processes and often contain colours, emulsifiers, flavours and other additives. These products also tend to be high in added sugar, fat, and/or salt, but are low in vitamins and fibre.

Previous studies have linked UPF to poor health, but no comprehensive review had yet provided a broad assessment of the evidence in this area.

To bridge this gap, researchers carried out an umbrella review – a high-level evidence summary – of 45 distinct pooled meta-analyses from 14 review articles associating UPF with adverse health outcomes.

The review articles were all published in the past three years and involved 9.9 million people. None were funded by companies involved in the production of UPF.

Estimates of exposure to ultra-processed foods were obtained from a combination of food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls, and dietary history and were measured as higher versus lower consumption, additional servings per day, or a 10% increment.

The researchers graded the evidence as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, or no evidence. They also assessed the quality of evidence as high, moderate, low, or very low.

Overall, the results show that higher exposure to UPF was consistently associated with an increased risk of 32 adverse health outcomes, The BMJ reported.

Convincing evidence showed that higher UPF intake was associated with about a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48 to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.

Highly suggestive evidence also indicated that higher PF intake was associated with a 21% greater risk of death from any cause, a 40 to 66% increased risk of heart disease related death, obesity, type 2 diabetes and sleep problems, and a 22% increased risk of depression.

There was also evidence for associations between UPF and asthma, gastrointestinal health, some cancers and cardiometabolic risk factors, such as high blood fats and low levels of ‘good’ cholesterol, although the researchers cautioned the evidence for these links remains limited.

The researchers acknowledged several limitations to the umbrella review, including that they couldn’t rule out the possibility that other unmeasured factors and variations in assessing UPF intake may have influenced their results.

Some experts not involved in the research also highlighted that much of the research included in the umbrella review was weak and also cautioned that the findings do not prove cause and effect.

However, Dr Chris van Tulleken, an associate professor at University College London and one of the world’s leading UPF experts, said the findings were “entirely consistent” with a now “enormous number of independent studies which clearly link a diet high in UPF to multiple damaging health outcomes including early death”.

“We have good understanding of the mechanisms by which these foods drive harm,” he added. “In part it is because of their poor nutritional profile – they are often high in saturated fat, salt and free sugar.

But the way they are processed is also important – they’re engineered and marketed in ways which drive excess consumption – for example they are typically soft and energy dense and aggressively marketed usually to disadvantaged communities.”

In a linked editorial, academics from Brazil said UPFs were “often chemically manipulated cheap ingredients” and “made palatable and attractive by using combinations of flavours, colours, emulsifiers, thickeners and other additives”.

They added: “It is now time for UN agencies, with member states, to develop and implement a framework convention on ultra-processed foods analogous to the framework on tobacco.”

Meanwhile, a separate study published in the Lancet Public Health suggested that more than 9,000 heart disease-related deaths could be prevented in England over the next two decades if all restaurants, fast food outlets, cafes, pubs and takeaways put calories on their menus.

The longest-living people in the world all abide by the ‘Power 9’ rule

Here’s how to structure your days, so that you’re setting yourself up for a long and healthy life.

By Emily Abbate

26 February 2024

Image may contain Nature Outdoors Sea Water Person Reading Sea Waves Chair Furniture Face Head and Photography

Every day we’re inundated with the “right” things to do to live a longer life. Drink eight glasses of water a day, they say. Go to the pharmacy for an off-label prescription, advise others. And others task us with the impossible—yet promising—task to just keep a positive mindset.

Today, the average life expectancy in Britain is 81, and in 2022 there were over 15,000 people over the age of 100 living in England in Wales. But in the Blue Zones, or regions of the world where people live exceptionally long lives, individuals are ten times more likely to live to 100. These places—specifically the Barbagia region of Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Icaria, Greece—are packed with centenarians.

It was only a matter of time until medical researchers, demographers, epidemiologists, and anthropologists dug in to find out the common denominators among these places. Thus, emerges the Blue Zones “Power Nine”—or nine things that the five places who have the highest proportions of people who reach age 100—have in common. National Geographic’s Dan Buettner, published these findings in his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. We tapped our own longevity experts to weigh in on each of the nine pillars.

1. Move naturally

Studies show that sedentary behaviour like sitting for 13 hours a day or walking less than 4,000 steps per day can reduce the metabolic benefits of acute exercise, while occasional activity could help reduce post-meal insulin levels. Researchers even found that “soleus push-ups” (that’s calf raises for the majority of us) done in a sitting position have been shown to fuel metabolism for hours. In other words: You don’t need to set aside 90 minutes every day to exercise day after day. Exercise snacks, or small bouts of movement incorporated throughout the day, are proven to be just as effective as larger planned-ut workouts—and much more accessible to most.

So, where does someone begin? Dr. Kien Vuu, founder of Vuu MD Performance and Longevity, author of Thrive State, says it starts by thinking of your work day differently. Have a bike? Opt for walking or biking for short distances, including to the office if that’s an option for your commute. Once you’re at your desk, try leg lifts or seated stretches, take the stairs to grab coffee, or opt for walking meetings if you’re chatting with someone who’s also in-office. Just a few minutes of activity breaking up sedentary behaviour can reap many benefits.

2. Say yes to happy hour

By now, most everyone has indulged in a non-alcoholic beverage, whether or not you’re on Team Dry January/Sober October. Although there’s loads of research praising the benefits of ditching alcohol altogether, a glass of wine is praised in Blue Zones. Not because of the wine’s health benefits, per say, but more so because of the socialization that comes hand-in-hand with imbibing now and then. “In longevity cultures, moderate alcohol consumption often occurs in a social context, emphasizing the role of community and celebration,” says Dr. Vuu. “The key might lie more in the positive social interactions and less in the alcohol itself. Positive relationships contribute to mental and emotional well-being.”

3. Take time to downshift

We’ve all heard it before: Stress is no good for us. Still, it’s often unavoidable. “When you notice your body tensing or your emotions rising, take a deep breath, hold for a few seconds, and slowly breathe out through your nose,” says Dr. Michelle Loy, an integrative medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatrics in clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. “The more you practice this, the better it gets. It can be done anywhere, anytime, and doesn’t interact with any medications or supplements.”

Not sure where to start? Begin before bedtime, making a couple extra minutes before you fall asleep to practice. Then, bring it into other areas of your day.

4. Give your diet a plant slant

Rich Roll. Chris Paul. Justin Fields. Kevin Hart. We’ve covered loads of guys who stick to a mostly plant-based diet (and exhausted the benefits of a plant-based diet, too). Blue Zone researchers agree, recommending that individuals seek out plant-based sources of protein, like beans, including black, soy, fava, and lentils, over meat. And when you’re in the mood for an animal-based option, opt for 3- to 4-ounce serving of pork.

5. Find your crew

If there’s one thing many learned during the last few years when it was at times stripped away from our day-to-day, there’s extreme power within connection and friendship. Those that live the longest identify close friends, and commit to those relationships for life. “Love and positive social interactions have been shown to release oxytocin, known as the ‘love hormone,’ which plays a role in bonding and reducing stress levels,” says Dr. Vuu. “So, loving, supportive relationships can lead to long-term improvements in emotional state and physical health.”

6. Abide by the 80 per cent rule

Researchers found that the people in Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening—then don’t eat any more the rest of the day. This falls into what’s called the “80 per cent Rule,” which recommends people stop eating when their stomachs are 80 per cent full. If you’re not good at exercising this type of restraint. Dr. Loy has a tip: “When you are starting to feel full, put away part of your meal in a Tupperware—or ask for the server to pack it to go,” she says.

7. Put your loved ones first

Investing time in your family is something that not only pays off emotionally, but in terms of longevity as well. Successful centenarians keep aging parents (or grandparents) nearby, commit to a life partner, and if they have children, they make an effort to spend time with them.

8. Find a place you belong

Research shows that attending a faith-based service four times per month could add four to 14 years to your life expectancy. If religion isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always the opportunity to dive deep into your own personal wellness. Seek out a squad that makes you feel accepted and seen, whether that’s your local CrossFit gym or a weekly trivia ritual at the restaurant down the block.

9. Know your “why”

When you know why you wake up in the morning and have a purpose in your day-to-day life, research shows that you can add up to seven years to your life expectancy. The Japanese concept of Ikigai encourages individuals to find their personal calling or purpose, adds Dr. Loy, who recommends asking yourself four questions and finding where these answers intersect:

  1. What do I love? (Passion)
  2. What am I good at? (Profession)
  3. What does the world need? (Mission)
  4. What can I be compensated for? (Vocation)

Unpacking Breathtaking’s bittersweet ending: “There’s stuff in our show that people won’t know happened”

© 2024 Condé Nast

Research Says Walking This Much Per Week Extends Your Life

By Aislinn Kotifani

Recent studies show that walking as little as two hours per week can help you live longer and reduce the risk of disease.

The study from the American Cancer Society followed 140,000 older adults and reported that those who walked six hours per week had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer than those who were not active, but that walking even as little as two hours per week could begin to reduce the risk of disease and help you live a longer, healthier life.

“Our bodies were designed to move,” said Dr. David Agus, Professor of Medicine and Engineering at the University of Southern California.

The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. They grow gardens and don’t have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work. They have jobs that require them to move or get up frequently. And they walk every single day. Almost everywhere.

In Amish communities in North America, one study showed that the average woman logged 14,000 steps per day and the average man logged 18,000 steps per day, and both genders averaged about 10,000 on their day of rest. These Amish communities also had the lowest rates of obesity of any community in North America. This study eventually hit the media and began the movement to reach at least 10,000 steps per day.

Walking benefits:

  • Activates lymphatic system
  • Eliminates toxins
  • Fights infection
  • Strengthens immunity

Your environment greatly impacts your activity level, but there are ways to nudge yourself to move more if you do not live in a walkable community:

Take several small walks.

Take your dog out for a short morning jaunt around the block. Walk instead of drive to pick up workday lunches. Step outside after dinner with your family. Research shows it is better for you to break up your movement throughout the day than to work out for 30-40 minutes in the gym and sit all day.

Walk to the grocery store.

If your location safely allows you to, walk to the grocery store. Though you may not be able to purchase a week’s worth of groceries in a single trip, you can buy the freshest ingredients and return again later in the week.

Park in a spot furthest from the building.

If you work in the suburbs, in a mall, or a business park with very few parking options, just choose to park far away from the entrance to add a few more steps to your day.

Walk 5 minutes each hour.

Get up out of your desk and take a round of the office. Fill up your water bottle. Get outside to maximize benefits, if possible.

Take one long walk of 30-40 minutes.

Recruit a friend (or your moai!) to take a post-work walk. Forty minutes will fly by before you even realize how far you’ve gone.

Plant based or meat based???

Plant-based sandwiches, salads and pizza are NOT healthier than meat options, study reveals

  • Researchers analysed 1,868 meals from 50 fast food chains across five countries
  • The vegan options contain less protein and sodium but more carbs and sugar

By Xantha Leatham Deputy Science Editor For The Daily Mail

Published: 09:37 EST, 3 January 2024 | Updated: 09:45 EST, 3 January 20

72 View comments

MOST people see the New Year as a chance to kickstart a healthy eating regimen, and maybe even give Veganuary a go.

But vegan fast-food meals do not have less calories than their meaty counterparts, a study suggests.

Researchers analyzed a total of 1,868 meals including sandwiches, salads, noodles and pizza from 50 fast food chains across five countries, including the UK.

These chains included Wagamamas, Pret, Pizza Express, Leon and Burger King.

The team collected data on the calorie content, presence of allergens, and the quantities of nutrients, fibre and salt in each meal.

Researchers in Poland analysed a total of 1,868 meals including sandwiches, salads, noodles and pizza from 50 fast food chains across five countries, including the UK

Researchers in Poland analysed a total of 1,868 meals including sandwiches, salads, noodles and pizza from 50 fast food chains across five countries, including the UK

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Their findings, published in the journal Nutrition, revealed that plant-based meals had less protein and sodium, and higher levels of carbohydrates and sugar, compared to the meat-based meals.

But – in bad news for those trying to shed some pounds – they discovered that overall, plant-based meals were not linked with having less calories.

Lead author Mikołaj Kamiński, from the Poznań University of Medical Sciences in Poland, said: ‘Our findings revealed that plant-based fast-food meals were more likely to contain more carbohydrates and sugar than meat-based equivalents.

‘Surprisingly, our study shows that plant-based meals are not associated with lower calories, which consumers may not realise.

‘This really emphasizes the importance of making informed food choices, especially when it comes to consuming fast food – even more so if you suffer from a metabolic disorder like type 2 diabetes.

‘It exposes the illusion that plant-based alternatives of popular fast-food dishes are automatically a healthier choice.’

The findings also showed that the meals containing meat were more likely to have allergens such as dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish and mustard, while plant-based meals more likely contained allergens such as sesame, seeds and nuts.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE? 

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count

• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain

• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on

• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower-fat and lower-sugar options

• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide  

What the Heck is a “Blind Robin”?

SOURCE: JohnSwinburn.com

Richard Tedrow says:
May 25, 2015 at 1:07 pm
“I would love to know where to get the Blind Robins of my (very) early youth. We would rent a small place in Plumb Point, MD on the Chesapeake Bay. There was a very — perhaps 15′ square — grocery carrying some essentials — milk, beer — and what my father termed “blind robins,” extremely salty small single fish in cellophane packages. My dad and I would eat them together. He would proclaim afterward that now we could talk only to each other because of the adverse affect on one’s breath. I was 4 or 5 years old, loved those little things but don’t believe I have seen them since. That was nearly 70 years ago and my mouth still remembers them. I would love to know where they could be gotten.”
My Experience with “blind robins” is almost identical to yours although my Dad always Insisted on a couple of anchovies instead. The adults in my family spared us the pleasure of a “blind robin” but the breath thing – I cannot remember yesterday, but still the breath thing lingered on until way after New Years Eve.

The Comment was posted on the blog of JohnSwinburn.com. Thanks, Richard

Richard: Try Amazon or online @ Seafood Market, LTD.

Sally Feltner, MS, PhD. foodfactsandfads.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

What the Heck is a FODMAP?

FODMAP Diet: What You Need to Know

Food and NutritionGut HealthIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)Eating for Your Gut

Reviewed By:

Hazel Galon Veloso, M.D.

Hazel Galon Veloso, M.D.

You may have heard of the FODMAP diet from a friend or on the internet. When people say “FODMAP diet,” they usually mean a diet low in FODMAP — certain sugars that may cause intestinal distress. This diet is designed to help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) figure out which foods are problematic and which foods reduce symptoms.

“The low FODMAP diet is a temporary eating plan that’s very restrictive,” says Johns Hopkins gastroenterologist Hazel Galon Veloso, M.D. “It’s always good to talk to your doctor before starting a new diet, but especially with the low FODMAP diet since it eliminates so many foods — it’s not a diet anyone should follow for long. It’s a short discovery process to determine what foods are troublesome for you.”

What is FODMAP?

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly. Some people experience digestive distress after eating them. Symptoms include:

  • Cramping
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Stomach bloating
  • Gas and flatulence

How does the low FODMAP diet work?

Low FODMAP is a three-step elimination diet:

  1. First, you stop eating certain foods (high FODMAP foods).
  2. Next, you slowly reintroduce them to see which ones are troublesome.
  3. Once you identify the foods that cause symptoms, you can avoid or limit them while enjoying everything else worry-free.

“We recommend following the elimination portion of the diet for only two to six weeks,” says Veloso. “This reduces your symptoms and if you have SIBO, it can help decrease abnormally high levels of intestinal bacteria. Then every three days, you can add a high FODMAP food back into your diet, one at a time, to see if it causes any symptoms. If a particular high FODMAP food causes symptoms, then avoid this long term.”

What can I eat on the FODMAP diet?

Foods that trigger symptoms vary from person to person.

To ease IBS and SIBO symptoms, it’s essential to avoid high FODMAP foods that aggravate the gut, including:

  • Dairy-based milk, yogurt and ice cream
  • Wheat-based products such as cereal, bread and crackers
  • Beans and lentils
  • Some vegetables, such as artichokes, asparagus, onions and garlic
  • Some fruits, such as apples, cherries, pears and peaches

Instead, base your meals around low FODMAP foods such as:

  • Eggs and meat
  • Certain cheeses such as brie, Camembert, cheddar and feta
  • Almond milk
  • Grains like rice, quinoa and oats
  • Vegetables like eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini
  • Fruits such as grapes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple

Get a full list of FODMAP food from your doctor or nutritionist.

Who should try it?

The low FODMAP diet is part of the therapy for those with IBS and SIBO. Research has found that it reduces symptoms in up to 86% of people.

Because the diet can be challenging during the first, most restrictive phase, it’s important to work with a doctor or dietitian, who can ensure you’re following the diet correctly — which is crucial to success — and maintaining proper nutrition.

“Anyone who is underweight shouldn’t try this on their own,” says Veloso. “The low FODMAP diet isn’t meant for weight loss, but you can lose weight on it because it eliminates so many foods. For someone at an already too low weight, losing more can be dangerous.”

How a Doctor Can Help

Dietary changes can have a big impact on IBS and SIBO symptoms, but doctors often use other therapies as well. Antibiotics can quickly reduce small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, while laxatives and low-dose antidepressants can relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

It is highly recommended to consult with a physician and or a registered dietitian for many reasons. A combination of dietary changes, medications and stress management techniques is often the best approach. Learn how you can work with a doctor to find the SIBO and IBS treatments that work well for you.

Note: Check the credentials of internet dietitians- look for the following: Certified, licensed