Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?
On July 26, Jane Brody devoted her health column in The New York Times to Vitamin D, which she said “promises to be the most talked-about and written-about supplement of the decade.”
 
Oldways says: Tune into this discussion. Research gives us plenty of reasons to focus on Vitamin D, which may play a significant role in preventing or controlling cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol disorders, asthma, allergies, strength and coordination problems (including falls in the elderly), osteoporosis, chronic pain, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, depression, and even the common cold.

Do we get enough of it?  Probably not. In fact, one physician told us that after checking over 2,000 patients, he found that an astounding 92% were deficient (96% in winter, 88% in summer). Experts consider the ideal blood level for Vitamin D to be 40-60 nanograms/milliliter – though some research supports even higher levels as optimal.

The best source is the sun. Dr. Michael Holick, a researcher at Boston University and author of The Vitamin D Solution recommends going outdoors in summer with sunscreen only on your face and with bare arms and legs, two or three times a week for 5 to 10 minutes, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. For some people, this may allow you to store enough Vitamin D to meet your needs for the year. But those with dark skin, those over 50, and those who just can't get mid-day summer sun, will not be able to meet their needs from the sun alone.

Since there are very few food sources of vitamin D, except for salmon and other fatty fish, supplements of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) may be your best bet. Talk with your doctor about Vitamin D, get tested, and get advice on the best way to keep levels of this crucial hormone at ideal levels.

Health Costs Associated with Processed Meats
In a recent study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with the addition of chemical preservatives – bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli meats –was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. (The researchers didn’t make the same connection to the consumption of unprocessed red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb.)  

Oldways says: Although for two decades we’ve talked about healthy eating and reduced red meat consumption in the same breath, this study is significant for several reasons. 1) It shows that, on average, just one daily serving – about 1-2 slices of deli meats or 1 hot dog – was associated with the high risks of developing heart disease and diabetes. 2) Unprocessed red and processed meats examined for the study contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, but processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives, suggesting that the differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk factors.

Trace Your Produce to its Source
Supermarkets nationwide have been experimenting with a companion traceability system for fresh produce, HarvestMark.com. Consumers can pull out their mobile phones or go online at home and enter a code number from the package or label to trace the origin of the product, and obtain dates on when it was packed and shipped.

Oldways says: Knowing where our food comes from is always a good idea and we’re certainly in favor of consumers doing their own research to stay well informed. But there’s something about this traceback system that gives us pause. Will we feel compelled to whip out our phones and check the codes on every apple in the pile to be sure we’ve found the freshest one? Will we actually bother to check a label once we've already purchased food and brought it home from the store? And ultimately, will we forget the skills of judging fresh produce by how it looks, feels, and smells?

Eliminating Bread Additives with "Old Ways"
Researchers at VTT in Finland have used their knowledge of ancient breadmaking to create better, additive-free breads. Traditionally, bread required long fermentation times to take advantage of natural yeasts and lactic acid that could make doughs rise. In today’s industrial bakeries, quick yeast does the job much faster, but many additives are then needed to improve shelf life, increase volume, and help the mechanical processability of loaves made this way. Now the Finnish researchers have discovered that adding lactic acid bacteria to loaves can replace all those additives, while producing bread without the typical time-delays or pungency of sourdough bread.

Oldways says: This is a great example of looking to the “old ways” of food processing to produce better products to meet today’s needs. Traditional processing generally involves generating good bacteria that crowd out bacteria harmful to humans, often providing a pro-biotic effect while increasing the shelf-life of the food. There is much to be gained by studying traditional food processing – such as artisan baking, cheese-making, yogurt, pickles, etc. – to learn from the past, and we encourage manufacturers to pursue this route.

Tea with Milk?
A new study from England has found that adding milk to black tea reduces its antioxidant potential from 7 to 25 percent, with skim milk as the worst offender. “The degree to which the addition of milk reduces the antioxidant capacity of black tea depends on the amount added and the fat content of the milk,” report Lisa Ryan and Sebastien Petit from the Functional Food Center at Oxford Brookes University.

Oldways says: This study will surely reverberate in the UK, where tea without milk is like salad without dressing. But it can also inspire any of us who routinely milk our tea to go au naturel and experience the pure flavor of tea alone, or to simply add lemon. Supermarkets and specialty shops now offer us hundreds of flavors and blends to taste, with the promise of health benefits ranging from preventing heart disease to avoiding cancer. And purveyors of fine tea claim that adding milk compromises the fine flavor tea is grown to deliver.

To Salt or Not to Salt?
A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, quoted in the February 22, 2010 New York Times, concluded that there’s little evidence that a low-salt diet results in better health. Following right on its tail, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition “confirm[s] the potentially detrimental effects of a high dietary salt intake” especially hardening of the arteries. What are we to make of such conflicting reports?

Oldways says...  About 77% of the sodium in the American diet comes from processed foods, according to the Mayo Clinic. A diet composed mostly of processed foods generally brings with it lots of other baggage, too: fewer anti-oxidants, more transfats, fewer whole grains, less fiber – any or all of which could be responsible for the poor health outcomes sometimes tied to salt.  The solution is not a diet of low-salt processed food, but instead one featuring fresh, whole foods, usually prepared at home. With such foods at the core of every meal, it’s highly unlikely that your diet will be high in sodium – so you can just ignore the salt debate.

Real Food Diet Beats Refined Carbs and Drugs
A study published January 25, 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that a low carb diet may lower blood pressure better than taking weight loss medication while eating a low fat diet. The 48-week study included two groups: 57 obese people eating a low carb diet and allowed unlimited amounts of meat and eggs, and 67 obese people limiting fat to 30% or less of calories while taking the drug Orlistat. The low carb group's blood pressure decreased more than the low fat group, while the low fat group showed LDL cholesterol improvement.

Oldways Says... We gave our own title to this study, one we think brings up the real issues. Maybe the real issue is who ate more real food. People who cut carbs are generally giving up less-healthy refined grains – not cutting back on their spinach and tomatoes. And we've always believed that eggs are more likely to foster health than weight-control drugs. Traditional societies have thrived on a variety of diets, including the Masai diet, largely made up of meat, milk, and blood. The only diet that doesn't foster health is the "typical Western diet." Just Eat Good Food.

Fast Food Fosters Impatience in Other Areas of Life
Put aside, for a minute, the known nutritional drawbacks of fast food; its effects may be even more far-reaching than we thought. Chen-Bo Zhong at the University of Toronto has found that even subliminal exposure to fast food logos can make people read faster, rate time-saving products as more desirable, and even reduce their willingness to save money. Overall, says Zhong, the fast-food mindset fosters impatience, and favors immediate gratification over long-term goals.

Oldways Says... Lifestyle matters. The fast food mindset can infect our entire approach to life, and can skew our most basic values. Rather than dwell on that negative, however, remember that the opposite can also be true. Value good food, take time to eat mindfully with family and friends, and you may find yourself making other positive changes in your life, too.

New Antioxidants Found in Olive Oil, Honey, Walnuts
We always knew these foods were good for us, but now scientists at the University of Granada have discovered even more healthy antioxidants in phenolic compounds found in olive oil, honey, and walnuts. The two new techniques, capillary electrophoresis and high resolution liquid chromatography (HRLC), allow researchers to find these beneficial components in any plant food.

Oldways Says... While these new techniques may allow us to isolate some theoretical "magic bullet" component in foods, we think the take-away message is a humbling one, reminding us of how little we know of what is in any food, and why it's good for us. Eating a wide variety of whole foods, especially plants, is the best way to cover our bases.

Baked Fish with Soy Sauce... for more Omega-3 Benefits
Want to get the most in heart-healthy omega-3 benefits from the fish you eat? Eat your fish baked or boiled rather than fried, salted or dried, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's 2009 Scientific Sessions. Eating the fish with soy sauce or tofu further enhances the omega-3 benefits.

Oldways says... This study supports one of our favorite ways to cook fish. For one pound of fish, mix 2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce, 1 TBS honey, 2 tsp grated ginger, 2 tsp grainy mustard, and 1 TBS orange juice concentrate. Marinate fish at least one hour, then bake at 400° F for about ten minutes, spooning on extra marinade occasionally during cooking.

Carrots Yes, Tanning Beds No
British researchers recently asked 54 Caucasian volunteers to use computer software to make the skin color of Caucasian faces look as healthy as possible. When the volunteers pumped up the rosiness, yellowness and brightness of the onscreen photos, researchers hypothesized reasons why these attributes signal good health. Rosy skin generally signals good oxygenation due to a strong heart and lungs, while lighter golden skin may be associated with more carotenoids from a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables. (Tanning also creates that golden tone, but normally darkens skin at the same time.)

Oldways says... Eating well can certainly play a big role in the healthiness of your skin. Earlier research in Australia also found that switching from fatty meats and refined grains (think balogna sandwich) to lean protein and whole grains cut the incidence of acne by fifty percent. You are what you eat!

Better Moods with Low-Fat Diet over Low-Carb Diet
Researchers in Australia studying 106 overweight and obese adults put 55 of them on a very low-carb, high-fat diet, and 51 on a very low-fat, high-carb diet. After a year, weight loss in both groups was about the same (13.7 kg or 30.2 lbs). But, while both groups reported improved mood after the first 8 weeks, after that only the higher-carb group maintained their good mood; the low-carb group was more angry, depressed, and confused after a year on the Atkins-like diet. Researchers suggested a link to better serotonin synthesis with the higher-carb diet, or perhaps to "withdrawal symptoms" in a Western-diet environment replete with breads and cereals.

Oldways says... Quality of carbohydrates matters at least as much as quantity. The gold-standard Mediterranean Diet stresses copious fruits and vegetables, lots of legumes, and a variety of whole grains. Rather than "diet," pick a way of eating like the Med Diet, where you can eat satisfying amounts of delicious foods – and the pleasures of the table are bound to keep you in a good mood.