SoulVeggie

Running the Dietary Race

Dad's going to become a cyborg today.  A battery-powered device will be merged with his body to keep his heart rate from dropping too low (he's been having fainting spells).  They refer to this surgery as a "procedure."  How Orwellian... It accompanies the satins for cholesterol, his being borderline diabetic, and having high blood pressure.  The "experts" believe diet is not a key factor.  Yet, a low-fat low-salt diet is recommended for those suffering from bradycardia.

This frustrates me to no end.  Because of the prevailing reductionistic mindset, believing everything can be broken up into bit'n'pieces and studied/treated individually instead of as a "whole system," the "experts" are doing nothing more then extending life a bit and treating symptoms --- totally ignoring the actual causes.  Yet, Esselstyn and Ornish have proven you can reverse heart disease through a low-fat vegan diet, without drugs and machines.  In denial, the aforementioned pros explain: people don't have the discipline and we don't make the same megabucks.

There's personal irony. This Mother's Day (to the day) is the anniversary of my Mom dying of breast cancer.  I was 14 years old.  It led directly to my quest to find out what might have caused her death and studying diet, health, nutrition, what's in our food, and eventually coming to the conclusion that going veg'n was one answer to avoiding these disorders.

The other answer was realizing that added fat, sugar, and salt, whether you are vegetarian or vegan, still contributes to developing many life-defying diseases.  Aghast, I read daily recipe posts from vegans using such nutritional abominations as "1 cup of Earth Balance (fat fat fat)," or "2 cups of Veganaise (soy and fat)," or "1 cup of sugar (btw: those "wonderful" vegan marshmellows are basically corn syrup and sugar), " or "1 cup <insert product name> of faux cheese (soy and fat)," or "1/4 cup of reduced sodium tamari (2,800 mg sodium, well over a day's worth... yet how many veg'ns liberally soak their food with it, whether in a marinade, a dressing, or a stir-fry?)"

In my younger years, I could eat a box of light bulbs, down a case of beer with 2 large pizzas, make love all night, then run a marathon the next day.  In my later years, that diet would make me ill and unable to run the marathon...  But, to actually run life's BIG marathon successfuly means that we can't dietarily "sprint full tilt bozo" the first third, then expect the last two-thirds to be illness-free and that our bodies haven't been damaged by earlier abuses.  That's a reality most won't accept.  Being vegan isn't enough to protect you.

As McDougall has noted:  "Moderation kills." ...and sustains your taste cravings.  As such, we MUST to learn to fuel life's race properly with our diet, eating whole foods (oil, sugar, syrup, and sodium, are NOT whole foods), and avoid feeding taste addictions that, in the final analysis, can lead to what's happened to Dad:  he didn't pace himself, and now he needs technology to do it for him.

Biological Avalanches & Moderation

In "The Engine 2 Diet" by Rip Esselstyn (the vegan firefighter) I noted the following quote today:

"Oils, even so-called heart-healthy olive oil, are another debacle.  Oil is fat.  As noted earlier, all vegetable oils are 100 percent fat and are the most concentrated source of calories on the planet:  120 per tablespoon... Study after study has shown that when the percentage of fat calories in the diet exceeds 15 percent of calories in the diet, cancer starts to rear its ugly head.

Sugar is yet another mess.  Cancer cells swarm to sugar like bees to honey, because it is an important source of food for them.  So the farther you stay away from packaged candies, sugary cereals, sodas, juice drinks, refined grains, and alcohol, the better.  Instead, swarm to the good sugars found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains."  (p. 53)

Sure, I've been wailing to the Gods and gnashing my teeth a lot recently on this blog about the impact on inviting heart disease added oil has, but not nearly as much regarding the cancer issues.  Imagine my surprise when, a few hours later, I read a post about a vegan recipe for "Goodbye Winter" Mint Cocoa Cookies, the ingredients of which are essentially:  a bunch of white flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 4 tbs syrup, 1 cup candied walnuts, 2 tbs added oil, and 1/4 cup vegan butter (4 tbs of pure fat).... oh, and chocolate chips, misc. flavorings.  Devoid of any significant nutritional value (aside from some Omega-3 from the walnuts).

Of course I did the math:  around 10 grams of fat PER COOKIE (for newbies:  that's 2/3 to 1/2 of the recommended TOTAL fat per day by Drs. Esselstyn, Ornish, Barnard, and McDougall).

Now, one of the first "defensive" comments I get about my concerns about these things is "well, in moderation it's okay."  Says who?  McDougall claims, "Moderation kills."  My thinking, from reading the guys above, is that over time, the insults to the cardiovascular system (and overall biological system) add up, and most people who consume added fat (regardless of exercise or being vegan and vegetarian), hit the wall in their 50s and 60s via a heart attack or stroke.  But, the damage starts in your earlier years, kiddos.  And there's no way to measure it (it's related to cholesterol, but low cholesterol isn't proof that you aren't damaged or approaching that point).  So, the sooner you get over the addiction to added fat the better.

I've called it "Russian Roulette" to add oil to your diet, but recently, I've been thinking about avalanches.  I mean, if the avalanche is the plaque that forms that causes 90% of the strokes/attacks that kill us (whether we are plant-based in diet or not), which "snowflake" (or tablespoon of added oil) ultimately causes the avalanche (cancer, heart attack, or stroke)?

Refined grains, 10 grams of fat per serving from nuts and oil, and a ridiculous amount of sugar and syrup. Maybe those cookies should be called "Hello Cancer" or "Hello Heart Disease" instead of "Goodbye Winter."

IMHO, that's much more accurate.

Heart Attack Russian Roulette 2009

A favorite blog of mine that emphasizes "fat free vegan" recipes (and has done much astounding and tremendous, ground-breaking work), recently held a contest for "Vegetable Love 2009" to create a romantic plant-based Valentine's Dinner, and let people vote for the winner.

You can imagine my surprise when I glommed the 16-year old chef's second place winning recipes.  Here's the link to "Vegetable Love 2009:  Cashew Crusted Tofu, Vegetable Israeli Couscous, Sauteed Kale, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis." 

And now, as is customary on my blog, the nutritional facts:

The crusted tofu, etc., menu has 10 TBL of Fat, and 1 1/4 cups of cashews (not counting, if memory serves, oil for frying).  This translate into:

10 TBL of Fat/Oil = 140 grams of fat

The Cashews = over 90 grams of fat

Total:  230 grams of fat.

Feds recommend 60 grams of fat per day at most, Drs. Ornish, Esselstyn, etc., 14 to 20 grams.

This "vegan foodie" meal has near 4 times the total fat the Feds recommend per day and near 12 times the fat the guys who've reversed/prevented heart disease recommend... and I'm not even including the fat in tofu (which can, in some circumstances, be 50% of calories from fat).

Unbelievable.

Instead of "Love 2009" it should be called "Heart Attack Russian Roulette 2009."  It might be a 'gorgeous dish that wins everyone's heart' but it also puts everyone's heart at risk.  ONE serving kills a day's worth of fat according to the Feds and near 3x that recommended by the heart disease experts.  High fat intake has been implicated in not only heart disease, but also diabetes, aging, cancers, and Altzheimer's disease.

Sorry if I sound "crusty" but the math here doesn't lie.

Let's hope the talented young vegan chef soon learns a bit more about diet and it's proven relationship to coronary heart disease, et. al., soon, reads the fat free vegan blog with a bit more attention to the concept, and understands that there's "unhealthy" vegan cooking and "healthy vegan cooking."  If he continues to design meals this way, his promising career might be shorter than it could be and we'd all be lesser as a result.

15 REASONS TO AVOID VEGETABLE OILS

Because of some of the comments and e-mail I receive about a no-added fat vegan diet, I decided to list and document, in no particular order, 15 reasons to avoid vegetable oils and go very low fat vegan.  I hope they are useful and I dedicate this List to Dr. Esselstyn who, two years ago in an interview with him, changed my life forever. The post is very long so I've just provided the List here and below you can read the expanded version with links, cites, etc.

1. THEY ARE NOT FOOD
2. PREMATURE AGING
3. CLOTTING FACTORS
4. ALTZHEIMER'S DISEASE
5. PLAQUE FORMATION RUSSIAN ROULETTE
6. BLOOD VESSEL ELASTICITY/PRESSURE
7. HEART ATTACK PROOF YOURSELF
8. THE MEDITERRANEAN STUDY MYTH
9. DIABETES
10. IMPOTENCY
11. BREAST CANCER
12. COLON & PROSTATE CANCER
13. OBESITY
14. CRAVINGS FOR FAT
15. DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL

[Full expanded and cited list below; here's a PDF: Download 15_Reasons_To_Avoid_Oil.pdf (44.8K)]

Fruit Fights the Flu

"If you're not eating the recommended 5 fruits and vegetables a day, here's a new reason to head to the produce aisle:  Fruit fights the germs we're exposed to in the winter. "The vitamin load keeps your immune level high, allowing you to fend off colds and flu," says Amy Howell, Ph.D., a research scientist at Rutgers University. Fruits also reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Try the five below to give your immune system a boost.

Apples: The most popular source of antioxidants in our diet, one apple has an antioxidant effect equivalent to 1,500 mg of vitamin C. Apples are loaded with protective flavonoids, which may prevent heart disease and cancer.

Papayas: With 250 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, a papaya can help kick a cold right out of your system. The beta-carotene and vitamins C and E in papayas reduce inflammation throughout the body, lessening the effects of asthma.

Cranberries: Cranberries have more antioxidants than other common fruits and veggies. One serving has five times the amount in broccoli. Cranberries are a natural probiotic, enhancing good bacteria levels in the gut and protecting it from foodborne illnesses.

Grapefruit: Loaded with vitamin C, grapefruit also contains natural compounds called limonoids, which can lower cholesterol. The red varieties are a potent source of the cancer-fighting substance lycopene.

Bananas: One of the top food sources of vitamin B6, bananas help reduce fatigue, depression, stress, and insomnia. Bananas are high in magnesium, which keeps bones strong, and potassium, which helps prevent heart disease and high blood pressure."

[FROM:
http://www.menshealth.com/spotlight/coldandflu/flu-fighting-fruits.html

Latest Mad Cowboy Newsletter Available

Here's the intro, table of contents, and a direct link to the 64th issue:

Howdy!  Welcome to the 64th issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

Direct Link:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/85

We've a special treat in this edition:  a personal letter from the Big Guy himself:  Enjoy!

Reading further, there's the usual Mad Cow Info Round-Up, new studies tying the consumption of eggs to diabetes and meat to pancreatic cancer, a new analysis of the prevalence of corn in our food, and a fine essay by Dr. McDougall about answering the question:  "Why do you avoid adding additional oil/fat in your diet?

There's also a disturbing breakdown of what's really in Downey Fabric Softner (hint: it ain't vegan), the debate over elephant's health in zoos, and an range of interesting facts about animals.  Moving forward, you'll have access to links to some very interesting (and funny) video and audio, as well as read about a body spray with a rather unique odor.

We also have a very cool article about issues of "soil not oil," cutting greenhouse gases through less meat consumption globally, how Coca-Cola is stoking the 'water wars' with propaganda, and some thoughts about the new USDA Secretary Nomineee, Vilsack.  Plus:  don't miss the Vegan Recipe from a new fat-free vegan cookbook (Pudgy-Free Holidays) that's available as a PDF via the Internet.

As always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers:  y'all can browse past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

...and best wishes for a Happy Vegan Holidaze, keeping warm with family and friends, and a Great New Year!

Mark, MC editor/webmaster

***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
02: Vegan Recipe from Online Cookbook:  "Pudgy-Free Holidays"
03: Mad Cow Info Round-up
04: Eggs/Diabetes, Meat/Cancer, Corn in Fast Food, Avoid Fats?
05: Fabric Softener Fat, Elephant Debate, AR Spies, Animal Facts
06: Vegan Digital Theater Showcase
07: Soil Not Oil, Cut Meat/Emissions, Cola Scam, USDA Nominee Vilsack
08: Howard's Schedule
09: Quick Bytes
10: Closing Thoughts

When Asked: Why Do You Avoid Adding Vegetable Oils?

[Dr. McDougall's article is a bit long (both in length and scientific terms), but there are some "nuggets" therein.  Here's a couple of 'em.  Also, I've provided the full text below, but it's easier to read at the website URL provided.  The article is also profusely footnoted with studies/references, and for those who are skeptical, worth investigating further.]

"Begin by telling them, “The fat you eat is the fat you wear,” and remind them that there is nothing attractive about wearing olive, flaxseed, or corn fat.*  For this reason alone, most of your friends and family should steer clear of so-called “healthy oils” derived from plant-foods.  Gaining weight can be expected from consuming high-fat whole foods, such as nuts, seeds, avocados and olives, as well as “free oils,” which are usually purchased in bottles. However, the shared propensity for weight gain is where the similarity between unprocessed plant foods and free oils ends..."

"... Chemically speaking, free oils are chains of carbon found in a purified state.  Extraction processes have removed all of the other ingredients of the whole food.  Thus, free oils are no longer intermixed with the naturally-designed and balanced environment of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and ten thousand other chemicals found originally in the plants.  Free-oils are not food..."

"... Do Vegetable Oils Really Prevent Heart Disease?

Common knowledge is vegetable oils are protective against heart disease, but there is evidence that questions the real life benefits:

- Serial angiograms of people’s heart arteries show that all three types of fat—saturated (animal) fat, monounsaturated (olive oil), and polyunsaturated (omega-3 and -6 oils)—were associated with significant increases in new atherosclerotic lesions over one year of study.9  Only by decreasing the entire fat intake, including poly- and monounsaturated-oils, did the lesions stop growing.

- Dietary polyunsaturated oils, both the omega-3 and omega-6 types, are incorporated into human atherosclerotic plaques; thereby promoting damage to the arteries and the progression of atherosclerosis.10

- A study in African green monkeys found when saturated fat was replaced with monounsaturated fat (olive oil), the olive oil provided no protection from atherosclerosis.11

- One of the most important clotting factors predicting the risk of a heart attack is an elevated factor VII.  All five fats tested—rapeseed oil (canola), olive oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, and butter—showed similar increases in triglycerides and clotting factor VII.12...."

"... Practical Ways to Eliminate Oils in Cooking

- Don’t add vegetable oils when cooking
- Use non-stick pots and pans
- Brown or soften vegetables in water
- Sauté with non-fat liquids
- Replace oil in baking with fruit or tofu
- Use commercial fat-replacers
- Lighten texture with carbonated water
- Detailed information on cooking without oil..."

[Full Article here and below.  ADMIN NOTE:  I'll be posting some comments sent that I want to reply to without rushing from my last blog post ("I Scream, etc.") in a couple of days when up for air.  Thanks for your patience!]

"Food Synergy: 5 Dynamic Duos for Healing"

"If you knew that cherries and alfalfa sprouts together could lower your cholesterol, would you try to make up a dish that worked with them both? ...Here are a number of diseases that can be helped by combining dynamic duos, from Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well.

Broccoli with tomatoes fights prostate cancer...

Alfalfa sprouts with Cherries Lowers Cholesterol...

Flaxseed with soybeans fights breast cancer... the combination of soy and flaxseed may be more beneficial than soy alone in controlling breast cancer growth. In this case, the two are better than one!

Tofu with tea tames tumors... Is there some anticancer synergy going on between those two Asian staples? Fascinating research with green tea and black suggesting there is a link.

Garlic with onions improves heart health...Organosulfur compounds are the primary active phytochemicals in garlic and onions, and several of them may protect the heart by helping to keep arteries flexible and clear of plaque damage...

Adapted from Food Synergy, by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD (Rodale, 2007)."

[Original full blog post by Ms. Bond here and below.]

Meat/Dairy "Ups" Prostate Cancer Risk

"Eating meat and dairy products may increase the risk of prostate cancer, research suggests. Such a diet raises levels of a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) which promotes cell growth.  A University of Oxford team examined the results of 12 studies, featuring a total of nearly 9,000 men. They found men with high blood levels of IGF-1 were up to 40% more likely to develop prostate cancer than those with low levels. The study appears in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine...  Lead researcher Dr Andrew Roddam said the degree to which diet influenced IGF-1 levels was unclear.  But he said levels could be up to 15% higher in people who ate a lot of meat and dairy products."

[Full article here and below.  Also, check out the issue of hormones in cows/milk and the relationship to IGF-1 here, check out Robert Cohen's constant writing about this at NotMilk, and also note what T. Colin Campbell has said about the same, author of "The China Study," history's largest study of diet.  Going vegetarian isn't enough... go vegan!]

Low-fat Plant-based Diet & Aging

[Well... not only helps prevent various diseases, but now a link to an enzyme that helps repair damage to DNA (hence, retarding aging to some degree).  BTW: Ornish is one of only two people (Esselstyn being the other one) who've reversed heart disease.]

"Plant-Based Diet Helps Reduce Premature Aging and Disease Risk"  (from PCRM):

In a study released today by The Lancet Oncology, Dean Ornish, M.D., and colleagues found that comprehensive lifestyle changes, including a low-fat vegan diet, increase the body’s ability to fight premature aging, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Twenty-four men participating in a prostate cancer study switched to a plant-based diet and added daily exercise and relaxation techniques. Among other beneficial effects that were previously reported, the intervention led to increased levels of telomerase, an enzyme that protects and repairs DNA. Blood levels of telomerase increased by an average of 29 percent during the study.

Ornish D, Lin J, Daubenmier J, et al. Increased telomerase activity and comprehensive lifestyle changes: a pilot study. Lancet Oncol [advance online publication]. September 16, 2008; DOI 10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70234-1."

..where it's noted:

"Background:  Telomeres are protective DNA–protein complexes at the end of linear chromosomes that promote chromosomal stability. Telomere shortness in human beings is emerging as a prognostic marker of disease risk, progression, and premature mortality in many types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colorectal, bladder, head and neck, lung, and renal cell. Telomere shortening is counteracted by the cellular enzyme telomerase. Lifestyle factors known to promote cancer and cardiovascular disease might also adversely affect telomerase function. However, previous studies have not addressed whether improvements in nutrition and lifestyle are associated with increases in telomerase activity. We aimed to assess whether 3 months of intensive lifestyle changes increased telomerase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)."

[Not sure why he allowed fish oil when there are many possible substitutes, but note that the diet had 10% of its calories from fat.  Anyway, the study shows another of many reasons to go low-fat vegan!]