Does olive oil lose its health benefits when it is heated?
Is it true that olive oil lose its health benefits when it is used to saute? I read somewhere that it does.
I have read this many times before and there have been people who have written to me about the topic. They have, in fact, been quite adamant that heating olive oil is very bad and unhealthy. The claims range from the heat producing everything from carcinogens contained in the smoke created by heating, to conversion to trans-fats.
Fortunately, the science doesn't support these claims. A group whose report was published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry heated olive oil to 350°F for 36 hours. (J Agric Food Chem 2007 Nov 14;55(23):9646-54) There were some minor changes in the oil but they found very little oxidation and the smaller antioxidant chemicals were preserved intact. Their conclusion?
"From these results, we can conclude that despite the heating conditions, VOO maintained most of its minor compounds and, therefore, most of its nutritional properties."
There is some research that says using olive oils that are less refined may be better for you.
There's decades of great epidemiologic evidence to prove the value of olive oil. Likewise, there's dozens of great studies proving the safety of olive oil.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Rev it Up
Working It All Out
It's totally normal to be a little sore when you're just starting to work out. But as you progress, you need to pay attention to the way in which your body is reacting to what you're doing. If you do 20 lunges after not having done them in months, you'll be sore the next day — that's how you know the lunges worked those dormant muscles, just as you intended. If you keep doing 20 lunges every day, after a while you'll stop feeling the soreness, and that means the move is not productive anymore. It's important to keep yourself challenged in order to get results.
When it comes to intensity, you'll learn to use your own judgment. If your effort feels too easy, it probably is. Stop slacking and increase the intensity! If it feels too difficult or your form is compromised, decrease the intensity. You'll find your abilities change as you move forward. If you stop seeing the number on the scale drop, chances are you're coasting on your workout. Rev it up, baby!
It's totally normal to be a little sore when you're just starting to work out. But as you progress, you need to pay attention to the way in which your body is reacting to what you're doing. If you do 20 lunges after not having done them in months, you'll be sore the next day — that's how you know the lunges worked those dormant muscles, just as you intended. If you keep doing 20 lunges every day, after a while you'll stop feeling the soreness, and that means the move is not productive anymore. It's important to keep yourself challenged in order to get results.
When it comes to intensity, you'll learn to use your own judgment. If your effort feels too easy, it probably is. Stop slacking and increase the intensity! If it feels too difficult or your form is compromised, decrease the intensity. You'll find your abilities change as you move forward. If you stop seeing the number on the scale drop, chances are you're coasting on your workout. Rev it up, baby!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Fish
Get the Dish on Fish
Over the past few years, there's been a lot of discussion about fish and its toxicity. The question is whether the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish outweigh the dangers of mercury, PCBs, and other chemicals detected in various fish species from waters around the world.
Although you need to protect yourself from harmful substances in the foods you consume, fish can still be a good catch.You just need to be aware of advisories about the safety of fish caught in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. My advice is to always buy wild-caught salmon — farm-raised salmon are fed a diet that raises their omega-6s, not their omega-3s. Farmed fish also have higher levels of PCBs than wild-caught fish. In addition, you should trim the fat of any fish away because fish fat contains the PCBs, which have been traced to lower IQ scores, poor memory and attention, and thyroid dysfunction.
As for mercury, albacore tuna, also known as white tuna, contains more than "light" tuna, so the FDA suggests that you eat only as much as 6 ounces of albacore tuna each week, as opposed to 12 ounces of fish that are lower in mercury, such as clams, Pacific pollock, and canned Alaska wild salmon. Children should be served smaller portions of fish in general.
Are there any fish you should steer clear of? Yes — the FDA currently recommends that you avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish because they contain dangerously high traces of mercury. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Web site is an excellent resource for information on the safety of regional seafood. You can check out the best fish, for both environmental and health reasons, in your area.
Don't lose sight of the fact that fish is an excellent power nutrient. When you eat protein and fat, especially the omega-3s found in fatty deep-sea fish, ghrelin (the hunger hormone) levels drop, slowing your digestion and lowering your appetite. Were it not for the toxins, you could eat fish every day of the week and I'd be happy — and so would your hormones. And remember, when preparing fish stick to grilling; avoid frying fish or adding creamy or buttery sauces. If you enjoy going out for Japanese food, sashimi is the healthiest option — and order your favorite rolls with brown rice to avoid the processed carbs in white rice.
Other Sources of Omega-3s
If you hate fish or want to avoid worrying about toxicity, you can find omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Or take a daily fish oil supplement.. Like monounsaturated fat, omega-3 fat improves heart health by helping to keep cholesterol levels low. It can also aid in stabilizing an irregular heartbeat and reducing blood pressure, and it acts as a natural blood thinner, reducing the risk of blood clots and stroke. You can't live without omega-3 fat, either — your brain, which is 60 percent fat, needs it to function properly. So eat it up!
Over the past few years, there's been a lot of discussion about fish and its toxicity. The question is whether the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish outweigh the dangers of mercury, PCBs, and other chemicals detected in various fish species from waters around the world.
Although you need to protect yourself from harmful substances in the foods you consume, fish can still be a good catch.You just need to be aware of advisories about the safety of fish caught in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. My advice is to always buy wild-caught salmon — farm-raised salmon are fed a diet that raises their omega-6s, not their omega-3s. Farmed fish also have higher levels of PCBs than wild-caught fish. In addition, you should trim the fat of any fish away because fish fat contains the PCBs, which have been traced to lower IQ scores, poor memory and attention, and thyroid dysfunction.
As for mercury, albacore tuna, also known as white tuna, contains more than "light" tuna, so the FDA suggests that you eat only as much as 6 ounces of albacore tuna each week, as opposed to 12 ounces of fish that are lower in mercury, such as clams, Pacific pollock, and canned Alaska wild salmon. Children should be served smaller portions of fish in general.
Are there any fish you should steer clear of? Yes — the FDA currently recommends that you avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish because they contain dangerously high traces of mercury. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Web site is an excellent resource for information on the safety of regional seafood. You can check out the best fish, for both environmental and health reasons, in your area.
Don't lose sight of the fact that fish is an excellent power nutrient. When you eat protein and fat, especially the omega-3s found in fatty deep-sea fish, ghrelin (the hunger hormone) levels drop, slowing your digestion and lowering your appetite. Were it not for the toxins, you could eat fish every day of the week and I'd be happy — and so would your hormones. And remember, when preparing fish stick to grilling; avoid frying fish or adding creamy or buttery sauces. If you enjoy going out for Japanese food, sashimi is the healthiest option — and order your favorite rolls with brown rice to avoid the processed carbs in white rice.
Other Sources of Omega-3s
If you hate fish or want to avoid worrying about toxicity, you can find omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Or take a daily fish oil supplement.. Like monounsaturated fat, omega-3 fat improves heart health by helping to keep cholesterol levels low. It can also aid in stabilizing an irregular heartbeat and reducing blood pressure, and it acts as a natural blood thinner, reducing the risk of blood clots and stroke. You can't live without omega-3 fat, either — your brain, which is 60 percent fat, needs it to function properly. So eat it up!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Bench dips
Get Benched!
I know I'd normally yell at you for sitting down, but sitting isn't always so bad. For example, if you're interested in working your triceps with bench dips, by all means pull up a chair. Get ready to get some strong, toned arms.
Stand with your back to a sturdy bench or chair. Bend your legs and place your palms on the front edge of the bench, your fingers pointing forward. Walk your feet out in front of you until most of your body weight is resting on your arms.
Keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides, inhale, bend your arms, and slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Your hips should drop straight down toward the floor. Hold for a beat, then exhale and straighten your arms back up to the starting position, and repeat.
Be careful not to lower your body too far or lean forward or away from the bench. You'll overstress your shoulders.
Take It on the Road
You know the story — you go on vacation or a business trip and your exercise routine goes out the window. Well, it's time to break that pattern! Next time you have to stay in a hotel, look at it as an opportunity to change up your workout. Bench dips, lunges, squats, and push-ups don't require any special equipment. Many hotels have gyms and pools. If there's only a pool, do your strength-training exercises in the water, which provides some extra resistance. If the hotel doesn't have any exercise facilities, do your homework — search the Internet for a gym nearby that offers day passes — most do!
I know I'd normally yell at you for sitting down, but sitting isn't always so bad. For example, if you're interested in working your triceps with bench dips, by all means pull up a chair. Get ready to get some strong, toned arms.
Stand with your back to a sturdy bench or chair. Bend your legs and place your palms on the front edge of the bench, your fingers pointing forward. Walk your feet out in front of you until most of your body weight is resting on your arms.
Keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides, inhale, bend your arms, and slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Your hips should drop straight down toward the floor. Hold for a beat, then exhale and straighten your arms back up to the starting position, and repeat.
Be careful not to lower your body too far or lean forward or away from the bench. You'll overstress your shoulders.
Take It on the Road
You know the story — you go on vacation or a business trip and your exercise routine goes out the window. Well, it's time to break that pattern! Next time you have to stay in a hotel, look at it as an opportunity to change up your workout. Bench dips, lunges, squats, and push-ups don't require any special equipment. Many hotels have gyms and pools. If there's only a pool, do your strength-training exercises in the water, which provides some extra resistance. If the hotel doesn't have any exercise facilities, do your homework — search the Internet for a gym nearby that offers day passes — most do!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Nice Tip to Reduce Cals in Pumpkin Pie
This year we discovered a great way to really reduce pie calories:
Cut circles of the pie crust and line the edge of the pan.
Mix your pumpkin or other pie filling using lighter ingredients like skim milk, splenda, egg whites, lighter syrup, etc. and pour into the crust.
Chill, cut and serve and you have a beautiful pie.
We cut all of our pies in 10.
When this pie is made with Splenda, calories go to 96 per slice and when it is made with sugar it is just over 120 calories. A regular piece of pumpkin pie is well over 200 per slice when made with regular ingredients and a full pie crust.
Recipe, tips and more pictures are found in Holiday Secrets. We call this the tulip method of making pie crust because it reminds us of a tulip.
Here is what we did with the leftover 1/2 of the prepared pie crust – we rolled it out thin and topped a deep dish raspberry apple pie – the end result was a strudel-like thin crust that everyone loved (we only put the crust on the top)
Cut circles of the pie crust and line the edge of the pan.
Mix your pumpkin or other pie filling using lighter ingredients like skim milk, splenda, egg whites, lighter syrup, etc. and pour into the crust.
Chill, cut and serve and you have a beautiful pie.
We cut all of our pies in 10.
When this pie is made with Splenda, calories go to 96 per slice and when it is made with sugar it is just over 120 calories. A regular piece of pumpkin pie is well over 200 per slice when made with regular ingredients and a full pie crust.
Recipe, tips and more pictures are found in Holiday Secrets. We call this the tulip method of making pie crust because it reminds us of a tulip.
Here is what we did with the leftover 1/2 of the prepared pie crust – we rolled it out thin and topped a deep dish raspberry apple pie – the end result was a strudel-like thin crust that everyone loved (we only put the crust on the top)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
J. Micheals from Biggest Loser on Thyroid
Master Hypothyroidism
Thyroid problems are very common in this country. About 27 million Americans have a thyroid imbalance, but not even half of them know it, because the symptoms, including changes in energy, mood, and weight, are similar to those of many other conditions. When thyroid hormones become unbalanced — when their levels in the body are either too high or too low — chemical reactions throughout the body are thrown off. Do you feel sluggish or have you started to pile on extra pounds that you can't blame on a poor diet or lack of exercise? These symptoms and others, including "brain fog," coarse hair and skin, depression, exhaustion, joint pains, constipation, and high blood pressure, may be signs that you have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, which can sap your energy and cause you to gain weight.
An underactive thyroid is death to your metabolism, making attempts at weight loss very frustrating. In fact, most of my hypothyroid clients tend to be about 15 pounds overweight. The condition becomes increasingly common with age — up to one in five older women experience some form of it, especially white and Mexican-American women. A simple TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test can be done at your doctor's office to check your thyroid function. If you are diagnosed with low function, you can take some of the following steps:
Follow my Master Diet, with a few modifications. My online program helps eliminate many of the environmental and nutritional toxins that have been shown to create thyroid problems. In addition to following this program, be sure to cook goitrogenic cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, instead of eating them raw, which can stimulate goiters, a bump on the throat that indicates a swollen thyroid gland. Don't take a multivitamin with iron, cholesterol-lowering medication, or eat any food with iron, calcium, soy, or a high fiber content within a few hours of taking your thyroid medication — all of these can interfere with the absorption of thyroid hormone.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. The stress hormone cortisol interferes with healthy thyroid function. Exercise is a great stress reliever that lowers cortisol levels while increasing your body's sensitivity to thyroid hormone.
Don't supplement with iodine. If you add salt to your food, choose iodized salt rather than kosher, but don't take supplemental iodine. Contrary to some nutritional advice you can find, supplemental iodine (or kelp) is not necessary; the average American diet has plenty already.
Take other thyroid-supporting supplements. Selenium is necessary for proper thyroid function. Other helpful supplements for the thyroid include vitamin D, zinc, and fish oil; in addition, choose foods that contain these nutrients. Be sure to consult your doctor before you try any supplements, especially while taking thyroid medication.
Discuss thyroid medication with your doctor. I received a diagnosis of hypothyroidism when I was 30, and thyroid medication — and my Master diet — has made a world of difference. Now I am back to my fighting weight, and I'm able to maintain it with moderate effort. Many people benefit from a combination of medications. Work with your doctor to choose the right thyroid replacement — it could make a world of difference in your life too.
Testing Your Thyroid
If you suspect that you have a thyroid imbalance, get your thyroid tested! Ask your doctor to give you a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test to check your thyroid function. Sometimes a less-than-thriving thyroid actually has more to do with your stress level and adrenal function than with the thyroid itself. To rule out stress-induced hypothyroidism, ask your doctor to run a test for ACTH and cortisol at the same time as your TSH test. If the tests indicate hypothyroidism, find an endocrinologist. Look for one who is open to solutions beyond thyroid medication, especially nutritional and lifestyle strategies such as this program, to support your thyroid.
Thyroid problems are very common in this country. About 27 million Americans have a thyroid imbalance, but not even half of them know it, because the symptoms, including changes in energy, mood, and weight, are similar to those of many other conditions. When thyroid hormones become unbalanced — when their levels in the body are either too high or too low — chemical reactions throughout the body are thrown off. Do you feel sluggish or have you started to pile on extra pounds that you can't blame on a poor diet or lack of exercise? These symptoms and others, including "brain fog," coarse hair and skin, depression, exhaustion, joint pains, constipation, and high blood pressure, may be signs that you have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function, which can sap your energy and cause you to gain weight.
An underactive thyroid is death to your metabolism, making attempts at weight loss very frustrating. In fact, most of my hypothyroid clients tend to be about 15 pounds overweight. The condition becomes increasingly common with age — up to one in five older women experience some form of it, especially white and Mexican-American women. A simple TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test can be done at your doctor's office to check your thyroid function. If you are diagnosed with low function, you can take some of the following steps:
Follow my Master Diet, with a few modifications. My online program helps eliminate many of the environmental and nutritional toxins that have been shown to create thyroid problems. In addition to following this program, be sure to cook goitrogenic cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, instead of eating them raw, which can stimulate goiters, a bump on the throat that indicates a swollen thyroid gland. Don't take a multivitamin with iron, cholesterol-lowering medication, or eat any food with iron, calcium, soy, or a high fiber content within a few hours of taking your thyroid medication — all of these can interfere with the absorption of thyroid hormone.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. The stress hormone cortisol interferes with healthy thyroid function. Exercise is a great stress reliever that lowers cortisol levels while increasing your body's sensitivity to thyroid hormone.
Don't supplement with iodine. If you add salt to your food, choose iodized salt rather than kosher, but don't take supplemental iodine. Contrary to some nutritional advice you can find, supplemental iodine (or kelp) is not necessary; the average American diet has plenty already.
Take other thyroid-supporting supplements. Selenium is necessary for proper thyroid function. Other helpful supplements for the thyroid include vitamin D, zinc, and fish oil; in addition, choose foods that contain these nutrients. Be sure to consult your doctor before you try any supplements, especially while taking thyroid medication.
Discuss thyroid medication with your doctor. I received a diagnosis of hypothyroidism when I was 30, and thyroid medication — and my Master diet — has made a world of difference. Now I am back to my fighting weight, and I'm able to maintain it with moderate effort. Many people benefit from a combination of medications. Work with your doctor to choose the right thyroid replacement — it could make a world of difference in your life too.
Testing Your Thyroid
If you suspect that you have a thyroid imbalance, get your thyroid tested! Ask your doctor to give you a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test to check your thyroid function. Sometimes a less-than-thriving thyroid actually has more to do with your stress level and adrenal function than with the thyroid itself. To rule out stress-induced hypothyroidism, ask your doctor to run a test for ACTH and cortisol at the same time as your TSH test. If the tests indicate hypothyroidism, find an endocrinologist. Look for one who is open to solutions beyond thyroid medication, especially nutritional and lifestyle strategies such as this program, to support your thyroid.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Jilian's Email about Carbs
Learn the Whole Story About Carbs
It's time to get over the idea that all carbs are bad. Even the media are starting to forget that the no-carb craze existed, and you should, too. Good carbs exist, and they should be a part of your diet.
"But Jillian," you ask, "how can that be when so many other diets have banished carbs?" Here's why: My program evaluates carbs differently. Some diets define carbs as "good" or "bad" solely in terms of the glycemic index (GI). The GI gives each food a rating based on how quickly the carbohydrates it contains break down and release glucose into your blood. The problem is, these GI-based diets evaluate only the quality, not the quantity, of carbs in any given food. So you're not getting the whole story. As a result, these diets forbid you to eat many foods that actually belong in a healthy diet.
The poor innocent carrot is a perfect example of how the glycemic index can give a good food a bad name. The carbohydrates in carrots turn into blood sugar quickly, which gives carrots a high glycemic rating, making them a no-no on many popular diets. If you step back and look at the big picture, though, you see that the total number of carbs in a carrot is low. Even though those carbs turn into blood sugar quickly, there are so few that their overall effect on blood sugar is not very dramatic — so in fact carrots are okay to eat.
If you consider the quantity as well as the quality of carbs in a food, you have a much more holistic and useful way of assessing the food's nutritional value. This more accurate measurement is known as the glycemic load (GL). It pertains mainly to carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, and grains (proteins and fats do not have the same kind of direct effect on blood sugar), and is designed to help you quickly figure out which carbs are okay and which you should avoid. You can find a glycemic load chart on my Web site to use in evaluating individual foods; it can also help you think about the entire value of a meal before you eat it.
JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Carbs Are Nature's Disease Fighters
Without carbs, we'd be sitting ducks for cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, and digestive problems. Carbs are the source for many of nature's disease fighters, thanks to the phytochemicals they contain. These compounds are produced by plants and are therefore present in almost all vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes — all foods that contain carbs. Also, eating fiber, a carbohydrate we can get only from plant sources, is one of the few ways we can help our bodies flush out the toxins that have built up in our tissues and messed with our endocrine systems for years.
It's time to get over the idea that all carbs are bad. Even the media are starting to forget that the no-carb craze existed, and you should, too. Good carbs exist, and they should be a part of your diet.
"But Jillian," you ask, "how can that be when so many other diets have banished carbs?" Here's why: My program evaluates carbs differently. Some diets define carbs as "good" or "bad" solely in terms of the glycemic index (GI). The GI gives each food a rating based on how quickly the carbohydrates it contains break down and release glucose into your blood. The problem is, these GI-based diets evaluate only the quality, not the quantity, of carbs in any given food. So you're not getting the whole story. As a result, these diets forbid you to eat many foods that actually belong in a healthy diet.
The poor innocent carrot is a perfect example of how the glycemic index can give a good food a bad name. The carbohydrates in carrots turn into blood sugar quickly, which gives carrots a high glycemic rating, making them a no-no on many popular diets. If you step back and look at the big picture, though, you see that the total number of carbs in a carrot is low. Even though those carbs turn into blood sugar quickly, there are so few that their overall effect on blood sugar is not very dramatic — so in fact carrots are okay to eat.
If you consider the quantity as well as the quality of carbs in a food, you have a much more holistic and useful way of assessing the food's nutritional value. This more accurate measurement is known as the glycemic load (GL). It pertains mainly to carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, and grains (proteins and fats do not have the same kind of direct effect on blood sugar), and is designed to help you quickly figure out which carbs are okay and which you should avoid. You can find a glycemic load chart on my Web site to use in evaluating individual foods; it can also help you think about the entire value of a meal before you eat it.
JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Carbs Are Nature's Disease Fighters
Without carbs, we'd be sitting ducks for cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, and digestive problems. Carbs are the source for many of nature's disease fighters, thanks to the phytochemicals they contain. These compounds are produced by plants and are therefore present in almost all vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes — all foods that contain carbs. Also, eating fiber, a carbohydrate we can get only from plant sources, is one of the few ways we can help our bodies flush out the toxins that have built up in our tissues and messed with our endocrine systems for years.
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