Steve Victor

Fit for Life!

FATS: The Good, The Bad, and The Confusing

For many years the conventional wisdom on dietary fats was that they were all unhealthy. They were considered responsible for all kinds of diseases from cardiovascular disease to diabetes. Now after years of research that conventional wisdom has been modified. I asked Jody Victor® to tell us more.

Jody Victor®: Research has shown that not all fats are created equal. There are good fats, bad fats, not-so-bad fats and very bad fats. Here’s what I found out.

 

The undisputed fact is that we all need fats. Fats help nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, and cell membrane integrity. Your body needs fat in order to properly absorb and use vitamins A, D, E, K, and beta-carotene. Fat maintains and connects your nervous system, your brain’s communication center, with the rest of your body. Your brain itself is 60 percent fat. Every cell in your body needs fat: nerve cells, eye cells, brain cells, and even heart cells. Fat boosts your immune system and acts as a shield to ward off harmful germs and microbes.

 

Your body can manufacture most of the fats it needs, including cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. But there are two fatty acids that can not be manufactured in your body and must be o

CARBS: The Good, The Bad, and The Confusing

Carbohydrates (carbs) are a necessary component for good health in your diet. I asked Jody Victor® to tell us more about it.

Jody Victor®: Carbs are sugars that provide your body with energy. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 2,000-calorie daily diet should include 225 to 335 g. of carbohydrates. The National Academies Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get 45 to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates.

 

Carbs are either complex or simple. Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly by your body, which helps you maintain a higher level of energy all day long. Complex carbs provide your body with the necessary fiber, vitamins and phytonutrients your body needs to function. Foods high in fiber not only give you energy but they also give you a sense of feeling full longer; help to lower cholesterol levels; aid your body in toxin removal; help prevent colon cancer; and promote weight control. Good sources of complex carbs are whole-grain brown rice, oatmeal, pasta, spaghetti, corn, peas, and yams. Simple carbs are digested quickly and are necessary to good health as well. Simple carbs provide a quick source of energy needed for your body to function properly. Good choices for simple carbs include yogurt, milk, and honey.

 

In the midst of all the confusion out there with low-carb diets, no-carb diets and all-carb diets, how can you figure out whether carbs are good for you? Or not? The answer is that carbs can be both. As a general rule good carbs are found in plant foods that are closest to their natural state. Plant foods that are not processed (whole) are high in fiber. Fiber is the part in plant foods that humans can’t digest. Even though fiber isn’t absorbed, it still does great things for your body. Fiber slows down the absorption of other nutrients eaten at the same meal. This slowing down helps prevent peaks and valleys in your blood sugar. The general rule for avoiding bad carbs is to eliminate refined and processed carbs from your diet. Refining and processing foods strips away the nutrition and highly beneficial fiber from your food. Refined and processed carbs are also loaded with many additives, including colorings, flavorings, and preservatives.

 

Whole plant foods = good carbs. Refined and processed plant foods = bad carbs.

 

GOOD CARBS

  1. Fruits
  2. Vegetables
  3. Beans
  4. Legumes
  5. Nuts
  6. Seeds
  7. Whole grain breads, cereals, pastas
  8. Some dairy products

 

BAD CARBS

  1. Refined grains such as white bread and white rice
  2. Processed foods such as cakes, cookies, chips
  3. Hotdogs and certain lunch meats
  4. Soft drinks
  5. Alcohol

 

The Nutrition Facts section on packaged food labels can help you sort out the good from the bad carbs. Look for the line that says” Total Carbohydrate”. Grams of “fiber”, grams of “sugars”, and grams of “other carbohydrates” will make up that total. The more grams of “Dietary Fiber” in the Total Carbohydrate line the better the carbs will be. The “Sugars” line tells you the total amount of carbohydrate from all the sugar sources- natural (lactose and fructose) and added (high-fructose corn syrup, white, and brown sugar). Look for more natural sugars instead of added sugars in the Ingredients Label. Also check the list of ingredients and make sure the sugar ingredients are not the top three or four items in the listing. “Other carbohydrates” represent the digestible carbohydrate that is not considered a sugar. Some labels may also break out “sugar alcohols” under “Total Carbohydrate”. For some people sugar alcohols can cause intestinal problems. On the Ingredient Label the “sugar alcohols” will be listed as lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and others. Many “sugar-free” or “reduced calorie” foods contain some sugar alcohols even when an alternate sweetener like Splenda is already in the product.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

 

Heartburn Friendly Cooking

Cooking for yourself or others who suffer from heartburn can be a challenge because the list of foods that trigger heartburn is long and varied. I asked Jody Victor® to tell us more about cooking to prevent heartburn.

Jody Victor®: Try to avoid the major trigger foods: tomatoes, peppers, citrus, chocolate, and mint. Look for recipes for no-tomato casseroles, lasagna, and pizza. If you like pasta dishes use pesto or olive oil with parsley and garlic for sauces. Fatty foods trigger heartburn because they take longer to digest and linger in your stomach. Bake or broil foods instead of frying them. Substitute low-fat yogurt in recipes that call for cream. Cut back on the meat portions of recipes and add more vegetables. Include whole grains such as brown rice in your recipes instead of refined grains. Serve fresh fruit for dessert instead of chocolate cake. Limit your portion sizes. The bigger the meal you eat the better the chances of acid reflux. Eat slowly. Put your fork or spoon down between bites. Chew, chew, chew. The more you chew your food, the more saliva you produce. The more saliva you produce, the better your digestion.

 

NO-TOMATOES LASAGNA

12 ounces super lean ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

2 cups grated zucchini

1 1/2 cups skim ricotta cheese

2/3 cup chopped green onion (if tolerated)

12 ounces wide lasagna noodles

2 cups low-fat alfredo sauce

1 1/2 cups grated skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling water until just tender. Drain well. While noodles are cooking, brown the ground beef in a nonstick frying pan sprayed with vegetable oil. Place browned beef in a large bowl and add pesto, broth, and zucchini. Toss together. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta with green onions (if using). Spread one cup of the alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Add three strips of lasagna noodles. Spread half the beef mixture on top.  Spread half the ricotta on top of beef mixture. Lay three strips of noodles. Spread remaining beef mixture on top. Spread other half of ricotta on top of beef. Add three strips of noodles. Spread remaining cup of alfredo on top noodles. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

 

BAKED CHICKEN AND RICE

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 10.75 ounce cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 1/2 cups low-fat or no-fat milk

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice

2 4.5 ounce cans sliced mushrooms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together mushroom soup and milk in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended. Take one cup of soup/milk mixture and set aside. Add rice and mushrooms to mixture and pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Place chicken breasts on top of mixture. Pour the set-aside cup of mixture over chicken. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes.

 

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN

6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

Place chicken in a large bowl and add buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large zip-style plastic bag, place flour, cornmeal, and salt. Shake well to mix. Place chicken, one piece at a time, into the flour mixture. Shake well to coat. Place coated chicken in baking dish. Drizzle half the melted butter/margarine over chicken. Bake for 10 minutes, turn pieces over and drizzle with the rest of the butter/margarine. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Don’t overcook.

 

BAKED PORK CHOPS

8 large pork chops or steaks

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or juice

2 teaspoons dried oregano

3 bay leaves

1 cup low-fat chicken broth

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Place chops into a glass baking dish and sprinkle with salt. Drizzle apple cider/juice over chops. Sprinkle over with oregano. Place bay leaves between a couple of the chops. Cover dish with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Remove pork chops from marinade and brown quickly on both sides and place them back in baking dish with marinade. Pour in chicken broth. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 2 hours or until meat is very tender.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

 

 

 

Heartburn- Over The Counter Remedies

OK, you’ve tried some of the natural remedies and you’re still having heartburn. I asked Jody Victor®  to tell us about some over-the-counter medications that can help heartburn.

Jody Victor®: Steve, there are quite a few OTC medications you can try. As always, please check with your doctor before you try anything new.

ANTACIDS- Antacids neutralize stomach acid to help relieve heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, and upset stomach. Antacids last 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on whether your stomach is empty or full. Keep in mind that antacids reduce nutrient absorption, such as iron, and increase blood pressure as they upset your kidneys. They also change the pH of your stomach, causing pepsin to become deactivated. This in turn interrupts digestion and can make your heartburn worse. Examples of antacids include: Alka-Seltzer, Alka-2, Bromo-Seltzer, Gaviscon, Gelusil, Maalox, Milk of Magnesia, Mylanta, Riopan, Rolaids, and Tums.

 

H2 BLOCKERS (Histamine Receptor Antagonists) – H2 Blocker inhibits the action of histamine, which stimulates the secretion of stomach acid, and partially blocks the production of stomach acid. H2 blockers last 6 to 10 hours. Examples of H2 blockers include:AxidAR, Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB, and Zantac 75.

 

ANTACID H2- Antacid H2 is a combination of an antacid and an H2 Blocker that neutralizes existing stomach acid and inhibits the production of more stomach acid.  Antacid H2 lasts 6 to 10 hours. Only one example of example of Antacid H2: Pepcid Complete.

 

PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs) – PPIs deactivate acid pumps in the cells of your stomach where the acid is produced. PPIs are for people with frequent heartburn (two or more days a week). PPIs last up to 24 hours. Examples of Protein Pump Inhibitors include: Prilosec OTC, Prevacid 24HR, and Zegerid OTC.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

 

Heartburn- Natural Remedies

Heartburn can be mild or severe, occaisional or chronic. I asked Jody Victor® to tell us some easy natural remedies for that occaisional, mild heartburn.

Jody Victor®: You’re right Steve, heartburn is not the same for everyone. Here’s some great natural remedies to try, but as always, please check with your doctor.

  1. CHEWING GUM Chewing gum is the #1 most powerful remedy for occasional heartburn. Chewing gum causes the release of saliva and increases the pH of saliva. Saliva dilutes and flushes out stomach acid. The act of chewing stimulates brain areas which go into active digestive processes in your stomach and small intestine, encouraging digestion to take place. A good side effect that researchers have found is that prolonged chewing does not affect saliva rates after gum chewing has stopped. This means you do not become reliant on gum for saliva production. And there’s even a bonus side effect: good chewing function is associated with good memory and sharp cognitive function. Keep in mind that mint increases the production of stomach acid and helps lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Instead try mild fruit-flavored gum.
  2. LUKEWARM WATER Drink a large glass of lukewarm water or herbal tea at the first sign of heartburn. The warm water dilutes and flushes out stomach acid.
  3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR Vinegar is an unusual remedy if you think about it. Vinegar’s primary ingredient is acetic acid. One study had acids (including acetic) placed at various points along the esophagus and throat. Researchers found that the acid in vinegar stimulated the salivary glands and that the higher they placed the acid on the esophagus the stronger the body’s response (salivation). Some people report that vinegar has helped with their heartburn. Some have reported no helpful results. If vinegar is going to work for you it will work on the first time you try it. Keep in mind that vinegar has also been used for treatment of diabetes (improves the function of insulin). If you take medication for diabetes (both types 1 and 2) you should talk to your doctor before using vinegar for heartburn as it may alter the way your medication works.
  4. MILK Even though milk is a weak acid it still acts as a buffer solution. A buffer solution is a solution that resists any changes to its pH. So when you mix milk and stomach acid the resulting solution is less acidic than stomach acid. This is how antacids work as well. Both are short-lived remedies and if used regularly may temporarily change the pH of your stomach. Obviously if you are allergic to milk or suffer lactose intolerance this is not the heartburn remedy for you.
  5. BAKING SODA For generations drinking a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of warm water was used for heartburn. Baking soda has been replaced by calcium carbonate in antacids because it has too many side effects when consumed regularly. Baking soda can help the people with rare incidences of heartburn if no antacids are available.
  6. IODINE SUPPLEMENTS Switching back to regular iodized table salt from sea salts may improve your heartburn symptoms. Or you can add an iodine supplement to your diet. There is a strong link between hypothyroidism and acid reflux. Iodine is essential for thyroid function.
  7. ALOE VERA JUICE Aloe vera juice heals your intestinal tract.
  8. PAPAYA CHEWABLE TABLETS
  9. CHAMOMILE TEA Chamomile relieves esophageal irritation.
  10. LICORICE Licorice is used to treat heartburn and stomach and esophagus ulcers.
  11. CELERY Celery requires a lot of chewing. Chewing produces saliva and saliva is the best heartburn remedy.
  12. MUSTARD Mustard helps alleviate heartburn simply because it contains vinegar. Try to work mustard into your cooking.
  13. FENNEL SEED OIL There is no direct research on fennel seed oil but there are plenty of positive testimonials from heartburn sufferers. It’s an inexpensive supplement that could help you.
  14. PINEAPPLE Pineapple contains a high concentration of an enzyme known as bromelain. Bromelain aids protein digestion and reduces inflammation.
  15. PROTEIN SHAKES If you suffer from morning reflux, mix a high-quality protein powder with as little water as possible.
  16. RAW POTATO JUICE Wash a potato very well and do not peel it. Place in a juicer and mix it with some other juice for taste.

All the Best!

Steve Victor