Whey Protein May Be Helpful for Weight Loss

Study Suggests Whey Protein Offers More Weight Loss Help Than Soy Protein

By Brenda Goodman

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

WebMD Health News

July 15, 2011 -- All protein may not be created equal when it comes to weight loss.
Whey, or milk, protein may offer people who want to slim down a slight edge over soy, a new study shows.
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center randomly assigned 90 overweight and obese middle-aged adults to one of three groups. The first group was asked to add protein drinks made with whey to their normal diets, the second group drank protein drinks made with soy protein, and the third group drank carbohydrate drinks.
Study participants weren't told which group they had been assigned to.  All the drinks, which were drunk twice daily, at breakfast and dinner, had the same number of calories: 200. They also all had had 52 grams per packet, for a daily total of 104 grams of added protein or carbs.
Researchers tracked participants' physical activity levels, weights, waist sizes, lean and fat body mass, and blood levels of hormones related to hunger and metabolism.
They also had people keep records of the other foods they were eating. The researchers made sure participants were drinking the shakes during random urine tests for levels of a chemical tracer they had added to the powders.
Seventy-three people completed the study, which is published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Whey Protein vs. Soy Protein

When the study started, there were no significant differences between groups, researchers report.
Men weighed an average of 218 pounds, while women weighed an average of about 190 pounds.
Throughout the study, all the groups ate roughly the same number of average daily calories, about 2,200.
After six months, people drinking the carbohydrate shakes had gained a little bit of weight, about 2 pounds, which appeared to be mainly added fat, compared to where they started.
People drinking the soy shakes had stayed about the same weight as where they started.
But people drinking the whey protein had lost a little bit of weight and body fat, about 2 pounds. Additionally, while the other groups saw little change in the size of their waists, the whey protein group lost about an inch around the middle.
The study was partially funded by the dairy industry.

How Whey Protein May Affect Weight

Researchers say a couple of things may help to explain the weight and fat loss seen with whey protein.
People in the whey protein group had significantly lower blood levels of the hormone ghrelin than people eating the soy protein or carbohydrate.
"It's a hormone that helps regulate food intake," says David J. Baer, PhD, research physiologist at the USDA's agriculture research service in Beltsville, Md. "So the higher concentration, the more hungry somebody feels. The lower concentration, the fuller somebody feels."
And though researchers really can't explain why this happened or what it means, they found that people drinking the whey protein had cut back on their carbohydrate intake by the end of the study, even though they weren't eating fewer total calories and didn't know what kind of supplement they were getting.
Though people drinking soy protein saw little change in their weight or body composition during the study, they had higher levels of thyroid hormones compared to those drinking whey. Thyroid hormones control metabolism and higher levels may indicate a metabolic boost, though more research is needed to fully explain what that may mean for weight loss.
For people who are hoping to replicate the results at home, researchers advise picking a whey product that is also low in calories and fat.
"A lot of the whey products on the market also have a lot of calories in them," Baer says, "Consumers just need to read those labels."

Nuts Good for Some With Diabetes

Study Shows Daily Serving of Nuts Improves Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetes
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD


July 8, 2011 -- Eating about 2 ounces of nuts daily in place of carbohydrates may be beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes by lowering bad cholesterol levels and improving blood sugar control, a new study shows.

“There are two important factors in caring for diabetes: blood sugar control and heart health,” study researcher Cyril W.C. Kendall, PhD, of the University of Toronto, says in a news release.
Nut Study Design

The study involved 117 people with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group’s members ate about 2 ounces of mixed nuts daily, another a healthy muffin, and the third half nuts and half muffin.

Researchers say those whose diet included 2 ounces of nuts showed better results after three months in both blood sugar and LDL "bad" cholesterol levels than participants in the other two groups.

The nuts consisted of a mixture of unsalted and mostly raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias.

The muffin was concocted to be a healthy whole wheat product, sweetened with apple concentrate but with no sugar added. The muffins had similar protein content to the nuts from the addition of egg white and skim milk powder. Calories from monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the nuts were the same as the carbohydrate calories in the muffin, the researchers write.

During the three-month study, participants were asked to maintain their oral diabetes medications.
Blood Sugar Improvement

The main outcome researchers looked for was change in a marker of blood sugar control called HbA1c.

Kendall described the results of the study as “a very exciting and promising finding about the treatment” of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers write that the reduction in the HbA1c level was significantly more in those in the nuts-only group than participants in the other groups.

The reduction of LDL "bad" cholesterol was also significantly greater in those who ate 2 ounces of nuts compared with the group eating muffins.

“We conclude that mixed, unsalted, raw, or dry-roasted nuts have benefits for both blood glucose control and blood lipids and may be used to increase vegetable oil and protein intake in the diets of type 2 diabetic patients as part of a strategy to improve diabetes control without weight gain,” the researchers write.

The study is published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.

One of the supporters of the study was the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, which represents almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts, and also the Peanut Institute.

Both Kendall and David J.A. Jenkins, MD, also of the University of Toronto and author of the study, acknowledged receiving honoraria from the Almond Board of California, the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, and Unilever Canada.

www.webmd.com

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

When it comes to healthy hair, it’s not just what you put on your tresses that count -- it’s what you put in your body, too.
By Hilary Parker
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

"Lather, rinse, repeat" may be standard advice, but shampoo and conditioner alone won't give you the healthy hair you crave. For the most luxurious locks possible, you'll need to step out of the shower, and into the kitchen.

"Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair, skin, and nail growth is the nutrients we eat," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian. "If you eat a healthy diet, you will grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body -- inside and out."
Recommended Related to Beauty & Body Image

Sagging Skin — What You and Your Doctor Can Do

By Holly Crawford Gravity does take its toll, but something else is at work here: Over time, the skin's underlying structure breaks down, robbing our faces of their definition, youthful plumpness, and resilience. Skin also renews itself much more slowly than it once did. Thanks to all these factors (not to mention genetics, weight changes, and sun damage), skin starts to sag and hang (that's where jowls come from).
If you were born with fine, thin hair, you'll never have rope-thick tresses -- no matter what you eat -- but a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron can make a difference, say nutrition and hair experts.

And beware of dietary supplements often marketed to thicken hair or make it grow faster. They may backfire.

"Even though you can find beauty supplements on the shelves of most stores, try to get the nutrients you need from foods whenever possible," Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a dermatologist in Vallejo, Calif., tells WebMD. "In rare instances, excess supplementation of certain nutrients, such as vitamin A, has been linked to hair loss."

Read on for the 10 top foods that should be the foundation of your healthy hair diet.
Healthy Hair Food No. 1: Salmon

When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.

"Essential omega-3 fatty acids are needed to support scalp health," says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a dietitian in Los Angeles and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "A deficiency can result in a dry scalp and thus hair, giving it a dull look."

Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.
Healthy Hair Food No. 2: Dark Green Vegetables

Popeye the Sailor Man didn't eat all that spinach for healthy hair, but he could have. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner.

Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.
Healthy Hair Food No. 3: Beans

Beans, beans, they're good for your ... hair?

Yes, it's true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.

Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.
Healthy Hair Food No. 4: Nuts

Do you go nuts for thick, shiny hair? You should.

Brazil nuts are one of nature's best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp.

Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.


Healthy Hair Food No. 5: Poultry

Chickens and turkeys may have feathers, but the high-quality protein they provide will help give you the healthy hair you crave.

"Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color," Giancoli tells WebMD.

Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.


Healthy Hair Food No. 6: Eggs

When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn't matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over easy. However they're served up, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find.

They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.
Healthy Hair Food No. 7: Whole Grains

Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

A whole-grain snack can also be a great go-to food when your energy is zapped halfway through the afternoon, and you've still got hours to go before dinner.
Healthy Hair Food No. 8: Oysters

Oysters may be better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, but they can also lead to healthy hair -- and who doesn't love that?

The key to their love and hair-boosting abilities is zinc -- a powerful antioxidant.

If oysters don't make a regular appearance on your dinner plate, don't despair. In addition to getting it from whole grains and nuts, you can also get zinc from beef and lamb.


www.webmd.com

Healthy Hair Food No. 9: Low-Fat Dairy Products

Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.

For some healthy hair foods "to-go," try throwing a yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
Healthy Hair Food No. 10: Carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.

Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you'd be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad

www.webmd.com

Heart Benefits From Cutting Back on Salt?

July 6, 2011 -- Reducing salt intake in the diet produces a small decline in blood pressure, according to a new review of research. But the evidence is not conclusive on whether salt reduction has an effect on getting cardiovascular disease or dying from it, the researchers say.

The findings are not a call to eat salt with abandon, warns researcher Rod Taylor, PhD, MSc, professor of health services research at the University of Exeter in the U.K.

The review evaluated nearly 6,500 people and is published online in the American Journal of Hypertension and the Cochrane Database ofSystematic Reviews 2011.

Taylor suspects he found no strong evidence that salt reduction lowered heart disease risk and death because the numbers studied were too small. And those studied may have lowered salt intake at first but then slid back into old habits, he says.

In the short term, up to two years after study participants were advised to reduce salt, he found a trend of reduced deaths, Taylor tells WebMD. "In the longer term, out about 10 years, that benefit disappeared. And we believe that is because people were not able to maintain that behavior."

"What this says is, giving people advice to reduce their dietary salt is not enough on its own," Taylor says.

What is needed is a multi-pronged approach, he says, including better labeling, at least in the U.K., and government help, along with more research studies looking at the link.

www.webmd.com

Healthy Lifestyle Cuts Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

Study Shows Heart Benefits of Following a Lifestyle That Includes Exercise and Healthy Diet

By Denise Mann
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

July 5, 2011 -- Leading a healthy lifestyle that includes not smoking, keeping weight down, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet can dramatically reduce risk of sudden cardiac death, a study shows.

The study is published in TheJournal of the American Medical Association.

Sudden cardiac death is different from a heart attack. It is the abrupt loss of heart function that occurs when problems develop in the heart's electrical impulses. Between 250,000 to 310,000 people experience sudden cardiac death in the U.S. each year.

According to the study, women with a low-risk lifestyle -- defined as not smoking, having a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, exercising for 30 minutes a day or longer, and keeping a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style diet -- were 92% less likely to experience sudden cardiac death compared with those who did not follow the low-risk lifestyle.

"We know that a healthy lifestyle is very important to prevent many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. So we weren't surprised but we were impressed at how strongly associated these lifestyle factors were for preventing sudden cardiac death," says study researcher Stephanie E. Chiuve, ScD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Researchers analyzed data on lifestyle factors of 81,722 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study from June 1984 to June 2010. Overall, there were 321 cases of sudden cardiac death among women during 26 years of follow-up. Each healthy habit conferred a lower risk of sudden cardiac disease on its own, but risk for sudden cardiac death was lowest among women who followed all four options of the healthy lifestyle.
Healthy Choices Reduce Heart Risk

Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, calls the new findings "so significant and so empowering."

If "you never smoke, exercise 30 minutes a day, don't gain too much weight, and eat a Mediterranean-style diet, you will reduce your risk for sudden cardiac death, and your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, too," she says. A Mediterranean diet includes fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts and fish, and includes moderate alcohol consumption.

"Take baby steps," Steinbaum says. "Don't try to lose 30 pounds. Just eat healthier and start by exercising for five minutes a day and build up to 30 minutes on most days."

Melissa Joy Tracy, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, agrees. "This very large study demonstrates that all four low risk lifestyle factors were significantly and independently associated with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death."

She says the findings "are very striking and all you can take from this study is positive news."

www.emedicinehealth.com

Anti-Oxidants: The Quick Start Guide

What’s oxidation?

The free oxidising radical theory of aging was developed in the 1950’s by American research scientist Denham Harman. Harman, now aged 95, was a keen researcher of the aging process. He ran two miles every day until he was 80 and maintained a lean frame through consuming only moderate amounts of alcohol, and presumably selective dietary choice.

The supposition of his theory was that a radical form of oxygen, chemically known as super oxide and other radical oxygen species could cause damage to body structures and DNA. Just in case any of you think I’ve slipped into hip-hop talk …… a radical is a highly reactive chemical entity (kind a radical in a hip hop sense too – I guess).

This form of reactive oxygen is generated by normal body metabolism, but in times of stress, exposure to heat and certain forms of radiation, body production can be increased. Our bodies can produce certain chemicals that are considered capable of “neutralising” these reactive species and certain vitamins are thought to be effective in doing so too.

What are anti-oxidants?

Vitamins A, C, E and the mineral selenium are all perceived to be vital players in supporting the body in “mopping up” free radicals or preventing excess quantities from causing damage. Other plant food anti-oxidants include glutathione and lycopene.

How to get them:

Studies suggest that taking synthetic vitamin analogues (laboratory produced vitamin tablets) have little or no effect in reducing the levels of radical oxygen species in the body. The best place to get these vitamins and phyto-nutrients is in food. If you are focusing on alkaline fluids and foods you probably won’t want to get your vitamin A from chicken or beef liver. The most effective anti-oxidant form comes from beta-carotene which is converted by the body into vitamin A. Carrots, spinach, kale and all dark green vegetables are good sources of beta-carotene.

Fresh plant produce (vegetables and fruit) are loaded with vitamin C, but the minute you cook it, that is diminished. Vitamin E can be found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and avocados. Avocados and broccoli contain glutathione and tomatoes contain lycopene, beta-carotene, glutathione and vitamin C, so long as they are raw. Sesame seeds are perceived to be a good vegetarian source of selenium, so tahini could provide it. It’s present in cereals and wheatgrass grown in soils containing selenium, too.

If you do want to boost your anti-oxidant intake with a supplement, Dr. Young’s GluthapHione is made from avocado extract which is much more likely to be effective as an anti-oxidant than a chemically manufactured glutathione supplement [1]. Dr. Young also recommends N-acetyl cysteine which is an amino-acid pre-cursor (building block) for glutathione.

Action:

So an alkaline diet, rich in (low sugar) plant foods, like greens, avocados, tomatoes and broccoli should help boost your intake of anti-oxidant nutrients.

Remember that it’s important to eat as much of it raw as possible. Healthy oils, nuts, avocados, fresh herbs and un-refined salt can make that more palatable.

Energise Alkaline Diet & Natural Health Blog

One Good Recipe

I love this rice as a side to an alkaline ‘steam fry’/stir fry or just some steamed veggies with a Thai-style dressing. It’s not 100% alkaline of course, so keep this as part of your 30% non-alkaline in your meal.

It is full of fiber is really helpful in helping to cleanse through the digestive system and it all helps to satiate and keep us fuller for longer. It helps us detoxifies and acts like a sweep that cleanses out body.

This is a great example of doing something a little bit funky with your food to make alkaline meals more enjoyable
Coconut Scented Rice with Toasted Almonds

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice, rinsed
2 cups organic coconut milk
1/4 cup shredded coconut, optional
1/4 cup almonds chopped finely
3 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rice, coconut milk and shredded coconut in a saucepan. Stir briefly.

2. Place saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid then lower heat to a simmer. Cook rice for about 25 minutes. After that, check the rice periodically to see if it is tender.

3. While the rice is cooking, place the slivered almonds on a sheet pan and bake for 5-7 minutes or until toasty brown and fragrant.

4. When the rice is cooked to your desired tenderness, fluff it with a fork and sprinkle in about 1/2 the almonds. Add the rest of the almonds to the top of the rice, to serve along with the mint.

Energise Alkaline Diet & Natural Health Blog