- By Henry Stark
- Around Town
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I was shocked to learn that rates of heart disease are ten times higher in northern Europe than in southern Europe - and that rates of the same types of cancers vary as much as tenfold around the world. The more studies undertaken, the more the results point to three variables: the foods we choose, how much physical activity we perform, and how much we smoke. These factors account for huge variations in the rates of many diseases including cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and of course obesity and being overweight. Since this is a food and wine column, I’ll leave it to you to quit smoking, if you do smoke, and to get out of that comfy chair (no, not quite yet – finish this column first, please) and take a brisk walk and do some pushups. Meanwhile, I’m going to try to suggest a pathway to a healthy diet.
First thought: focus on intact, less-processed foods. That means whole vegetables, fruits and whole grains. When I write vegetables – that does not mean white potatoes or vegetables that are high in refined starch and sugar.
And don’t believe, for a minute, that fruit juices are as good as the whole fruit. They’re not. In fact, many fruit juices have the same amount of calories per serving as a soda. Since a glass of orange juice has the same metabolic effect as glass of Coke or Pepsi, you can see why fruit juices are associated with diabetes. You can get the same beneficial effect that fruit juices offer in other foods without so many calories. And if you buy 'fruit drinks' at the store, you really should take a good look at the ingredients on the label. You might even find some with 30%, 10%, or even no actual fruit juice but just with 'fruit flavoring'.
While I’m on the subject of labels, be sure you’re purchasing 'whole grains' not 'refined grains'. Do you know what 'refined' means? It means that many of the vitamins and minerals are removed and then the depleted flour is 'enriched' by adding some nutrients back. Dr. Walter Willett, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School would like to change the name of 'enriched flour' to 'depleted and partially restored flour'. Very often, after the healthy bran layer is removed, a rapidly absorbed, high-glycemic form of carbohydrates is added. And, as you might guess, these carbohydrates are associated with weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.
Red meat is not good for us. All of it, even lean cuts, contains unhealthy fats. And whatever you do, stay away from processed red meat like salami, bologna, and sausages. If you can substitute poultry or fish that’s a good first step. Better yet would be to eat legumes or a small quantity of nuts.
Ah, there’s a key word: quantity. A large quantity of anything can be detrimental but a large quantity of red meat is definitely a bad idea. Three ounces of red meat served once or twice a week should be adequate. I’m amazed and saddened that fast food chains seem to be successful employing a marketing technique to outdo each other with a bigger and bigger burger topped with more bacon and cheese along a bit of mayonnaise.
Have you noticed some of the people who patronize all-you-can-eat buffet 'restaurants'? When I watch some of them waddle out of their cars I find myself to be somewhat sympathetic and somewhat critical but I do say a quiet 'thank you' under my breath because they are prime motivators for me to eat less. I absolutely do not want to look or move like them!
If you want to stay away from salt, just follow the advice I’ve provided so far. The more foods are processed, the more likely salt is added. You’re not at risk for excess salt if you eat fresh fruit from a tree. When vegetables are canned, in goes the salt. Suggestion: After you open a can of veggies, put the contents in a strainer and run cold water over it. Then proudly watch heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure flow down the drain. Fruits and vegetables naturally contain blood pressure lowering potassium and a whole host of other healthy components like vitamins, minerals, folic acid, anti-oxidants and micronutrients.
Hopefully this discussion of diet and disease helps you to be more aware of what you eat and prompts you to adjust your diet to improve your health.
I’m happy that you made it all the way to the bottom of this week’s column. Now I won’t feel so bad if you push yourself out of that comfy chair, leave the computer behind for an hour or so, and take a brisk walk or do some pushups.
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