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Staying Healthy Today With Kirk Hamilton
February 5, 2010
Where Have I Been?......I want to apologize for not being able to get a Staying Healthy Today With Kirk Hamilton issue out for the last month. I have been working very hard at my normal job - seeing patients; keeping the Staying Healthy Today Show interviews going; coming down the "home stretch" on my book, "Staying Healthy In The Fast Lane: How To Stay and Be Well In the Busy, Modern World" - God willing to the printer in early March, 2010; and I just finished up a 6 part Staying Healty Today Webinar Series sponsored by EnergeticNutrition.com. So this issue has a little more 'juice' in it. In fact, this issue has so much great information it was hard for me to stop. The main highlights are that the causes of obesity epidemic are not a mystery. It's excess calories and reduced physical activity because of the changes in lifesytle and diet that come from urbanization. It's the same pattern for the U.S. as it is for the world. We could debate the smaller reasons for difficulties in weight loss that I mention, but until I see data where per capita calorie consumption goes done in the U.S. and World, and obesity still keeps going up. I'm stickin with excess calories and reduced physical activity being the two main causes. The only way I see the world changing is going back to basics -- WHOLE, UNREFINED FOODS, non-processed and 90-100% plant-food. Enjoy! Kirk
Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease - Putting The World's Number #1 Killer To Rest - For you local Sacramento, California readers if you would like to come to a free seminar I am doing this coming Monday, February 8, 2010 at the Sacramento Natural Food Co-Op from 6:30-8:00 p.m.. I would love to see you there. I will be giving my PowerPoint presentation on the subject and have a Q & A session. If you can't make it in person you can see a very similar PowerPoint presentation, with audio/visual that I did at no charge entitled Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease at EnergeticNutrition.com. Either way you can access very valuable information to prevent and reverse the leading cause of death world-wide.
Television Watching Can Solve The "Health Care Crisis" - Let's Do It Oprah! (...Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray and Dr. Phil)
Frequently when I am encouraging a patient to exercise, especially a resistant one, I will ‘bait' them and say, "Do you watch television?" Invariably they say, "Yes." Then I ask, "How long? At least an hour or two?" Most people say "Yes" to at least that much television. Now I have my patient where I want them. Then I say, "There is no excuse for you not to exercise! No excuse! None! You get on your exercise machine of choice and start moving...THEN you use your remote to turn on your favorite show." And before they know it they have done their ½-1hour of exercise....If we could get our country to exercise while watching their favorite daily television shows the health of this country would change dramatically in a month!
I encourage everyone one to exercise, especially as they get older, so they can remain independent. Here is two true stories of patients that demonstrate this "Television - Exercise" scheme. One male patient in his mid 80s I hadn't seen in a year and a half. He was in frail health the year before. Not stable walking, "pot belly", stomach "rumblings," moderate mental decline and chronic urinary problems. So he was gone for over a year. His wife and he came back and immediately I noticed something different. I thought for sure I would see a worsening of symptoms or he had passed on. Well he came in with a flat stomach, mid 80s mind you, he was walking more steadily and his wife said his mental function had improved a bit. She was actually concerned about the 20 lb weight loss over the year and a half. I was puzzled. I tried to come up with some nutritional reason for the weight loss. He had changed his food consumption it appeared. It didn't fit the trend I had been seeing in him the last 5 years. So I ask what he was doing. His wife said he decided to get on his exercycle while watching TV and he does this for 50 minutes daily! That is the only thing he did different. Fifty minutes of riding a stationary bicycle, and probably not killing himself while he is doing it. Two morals to the story - 1) There is time to exercise if you watch T.V. and 2) Exercise, even in a non-strenuous fashion, is beneficial at any age, and I mean at any age!
The second story was a female in her late 70s under pretty stressful caretaking conditions with her spouse. She came in feeling better and had lost some weight. I ask what she was doing. She said she took my advice and was exercising on her treadmill during the first half hour of her favorite television show - Oprah. Being my "pushy" loving self I said, "It's an hour show, why did you only do a half-hour of exercise, do an hour next time!" Then I further said, "So what show are you going to watch on weekends so you continue to exercise every day!" I am not satisfied until I get the patient to understand they should be exercising everyday...and a half-hour is a bare minimum. Shoot for the hour of exercise!
Here is the Oprah part. A light bulb went off. I went to my computer and found out that Oprah has between 5-7 million viewers daily. I shared with my patient that I thought Oprah should sponsor or promote a 3 month contest with her viewers. Some company should provide discount treadmills, steppers, exercycles, etc. to Oprah's viewers. If they exercise every day (some techie can figure out how to confirm the person actually uses the exercise machine) for 1 hour then they could keep the machine at cost if they completed the three month daily exercise program. If they did not exercise daily they would be responsible for the machine at the full price...some incentive...something like that. If Oprah sponsored this, and better yet, became an example of it herself, this would be have a tremendous public health benefit! I wrote Oprah about this idea but haven't heard anything back. But maybe, just maybe, if a bunch of people from this newsletter wrote Oprah and suggested this, maybe something might happen. I know she is a supporter of health care reform. Virtually nothing would reduce the need for even talking about health care reform than millions and millions of Americans who watch T.V. for multiple hours per day exercising during their favorite shows for an hour. Just think if everyone who watched Oprah (5-7 million viewers per show) , Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray and Dr. Phil exercised during their respective favorite shows. Exercise is the partial answer to REAL health care reform. It is that simple. The other part is consuming a whole food, plant-"strong" diet, and the Health Care Crisis would be solved within a year! It really is that simple...
The Obesity Crisis
U.S. - In 2007-2008, the prevalence of obesity was 32.2% among adult men and 35.5% among adult women, or more than one-third of our adult population is obese!......From 1960 through 2004 there was almost a tripling of the incidence of obesity in males (10.7% to 32%) and in female there was more than a doubling (15.7% to 34%). In every age group of children 2-5, 6-11 and 12-19 year olds there was almost a tripling of the incidence of being overweight from the early 1960s to the early 2000s. In 2006 31.9 % of children and adolescents aged 2 through 19 years were found to be overweight or obese. In 2009 16% of U.S. children were obese!
World Wide - By 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight (30% of the world's population of 7.2 billion) and more than 700 million will be obese (10% of population).
The Problem
Obesity/overweight issues lead to almost every chronic disease that is taxing the health care systems and economies of the world (heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, arthritis, gynecological problems, liver and gallbladder disease, etc). Excess calories and being overweight itself both lead to inflammation which is at the root cause of most all chronic inflammatory conditions. Excess weight issues are directly related to the economic growth and urbanization of societies. As economies grow, people ‘urbanize' and move towards cities. With urbanization there is an increase in modern manufacturing, food processing, marketing and transportation leading to the increased consumption of high calorie foods that are low in nutrient density, in addition there is a significant reduction in physical activity with urbanization - a prescription for excess weight issues and chronic disease. Remember we are designed to store calories from an evolutionary perspective since there were periods of starvation or significantly reduce food intake. Now excess calories, especially calories without lots of protective micronutrients and fiber, are available literally at every corner, leading to excess weight gain.
The Main Causes
"...While genes are important in determining a person's susceptibility to weight gain, energy balance is determined by calorie intake and physical activity. Societal changes and worldwide nutrition transition are driving the obesity epidemic. Economic growth, modernization, urbanization and globalization of food markets are just some of the forces thought to underlie the epidemic...As incomes rise and populations become more urban, diets high in complex carbohydrates give way to more varied diets with a higher proportion of fats, saturated fats and sugars. At the same time, large shifts towards less physically demanding work have been observed worldwide. Moves towards less physical activity are also found in the increasing use of automated transport, technology in the home, and more passive leisure pursuits."
In the U.S. and world-wide the cause of this excess calorie intake is virtually the same. As countries develop or modernize they have an increase in total calories consume from the following changes that occur from going from their traditional indigenous, usually more rural diets, to the modern urban diet - 1) more food is eaten away from home 2) more high calories, high fat animal foods are consumed 3) more fats and oils are added to their foods, especially processed foods 4) more added calorie sweeteners are added to processed foods from cane or beet sugars (sucrose/table sugars) 5) less total grain is consumed, especially whole grains and 6) in the United States, more cheese is consumed. This is a prescription for the 500 calorie increase seen in the United States from the average adult in 1970 compared to 2000 leading to a real weight increase in the average adult 18.92 lbs (estimated 22.4 lbs). In children the increase in average calorie intake during this same time period was 350 calories and a real weight gain in the average child in 2000 of 8.8 lbs compared to 1970. Think about his fact - an extra 500 calories per day equals 3500 calories in excess per week, which is an extra pound of calorie energy per week you don't need. No wonder we are fat.(Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Dec;90(6):1453-6. Epub 2009 Oct 14.). In other words, the normal, average adult in 2000 was 19 lbs heavier, and the normal, average child was 9 lbs heavier in 2000 than in 1970! If we take this data out a bit further, the calorie difference between 1970 intake for the general population was 2,172 calories versus 2,775 in 2007, or a 603 calorie increase! (Source: USDA/Economic Research Service. Data updated February 27, 2009) I don't think we have as a human species evolved over 30 years to such a larger body size...Don't think so!
***Note: The China Project discovered that the Chinese calorie intake was almost 30% higher than in the United States, yet they had much less obesity. Professor T. Colin Campbell, one of the chief investigators of the China Project, explains that the Chinese actually consume almost 300 more calories than in the U.S.. It may be that in a very low fat, high plant-based diet a higher percent of calories is burn up as heat rather than being laid down as fat! Another reason to eat unrefined whole, plant food diet (I highly recommend obtaining and reading the 30 page booklet summary of The China Project: Revealing the Relationship Between Diet and Disease available from the T. Colin Campbell Foundation - the original China Project research is contained in an 840 page manuscript entitled; Mortality, Biochemistry, Diet and Lifestyle In Rural China: Geographic Study of The Characteristics of 69 Counties In Mainline China and In 16 Areas In Taiwan published by Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, 2006, $295, Campbell TC, Chen J, et. al).
Additional Obesity & Overweight Causes - Yet Less Important Than Reducing Total Calorie Intake and Increasing Physical Activity
• Abnormal gut flora may make it more difficult to lose weight.
• Environmental exposure to toxins (pesticides and herbicides) may many increase insulin resistance and weight gain.
• Subclinical hypothyroidism (especially low free T3).
• Food intolerance may increase food cravings for high calorie dense foods and fluid retention.
• Less lean muscle mass.
• More stress, with increased cortisol.
• More stress leading to increased calorie consumption.
• Low androgen hormones (testosterone, DHEA).
• Eating whole unrefined plant food diet with the same caloric load as a high animal food diet may actually increase the calories burned.
The Solution Until Your Ideal Weight Is Achieved!
• Eat at home more.
• Eat WHOLE FOODS only - no refined foods. In other words foods that are in their whole state (i.e. whole OR sprouted grains, whole starchy vegetables) with added fats, oils, sugar and (dairy).
• Eat mostly unrefined, lower calorie, higher bulk and nutrient dense plant foods.
• Reduce or eliminate calorie dense animals foods (dairy products, meats, eggs...)
• More than half of your daily food intake should be vegetable.
• Eat mostly from the 4 food groups without added fats and oils and sugars until lean (beans, vegetables, fruit, whole grains).
• Cut out all fats (avocados) and oils (yes even extra virgin) except 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts (if non-allergic).
• Make sure more than half of your food intake is vegetables (Pizza Platter Test)
• Exercise aerobically every day - minimum of 30 - 60 minutes daily (If everyone who watched T.V. got on some sort of exercise device the first 30-60 minutes of their favorite T.V. show the health of the United States would change dramatically in a month.
• Do strength training 3-4 days per week.
• Probiotics 10-20 billion bacteria daily.
• Get your thyroid really checked with a Free T3 & T4 along with an ultrasensitive TSH.
• Be quiet daily 15-30 minutes. Just sit still.
• Imagine yourself for 5 minutes per day being in optimal health.
• "Best Book" On Weight Loss - Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Staying Healthy Today Show Interviews
January - February, 2010 - Audio Interviews With Transcripts
Cancer Treatment Combining Lipoic Acid and Naltrexone, and, Lipoic Acid's Use As An Effective Cure for Severe Liver Disease - An Interview With Burt Berkson M.D. Ph.D.
Chronic Disease Prevention and Reversal With A Plant-Based Diet and Lifestyle. Evidence From The 'China Study' and A Lifetime of Nutrition Research - An Interview with T. Colin Campbell Ph.D.
Heart Disease Risk Reduction And Rapid Weight Loss While Enhancing Athletic Performance With The "Plant-Strong" Engine 2 Diet - An Interview With Rip Esselstyn
Cancer And The Trophoblast, And, The History And Case Studies of Enzyme Therapy In The Treatment of Cancer - An Interview With Nicholas J. Gonzalez M.D.
Expert Interviews by Kirk Hamilton at www.Vitasearch.com
Obesity and the Polyphenol Oligonol® From Lychee, Jun Nishihira, M.D., Japan, 2/2010
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Epistaxis and N-Acetylcysteine, Johannes J. Mager MD, PhD, The Netherlands, 1/2010
Cholesterol, Nattokinase and Red Yeast Rice, Nae-Cherng Yang, M.D., Taiwan, 1/2010
Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, Insulin Resistance and Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Giuseppe Remuzzi, M.D., Italy, 1/2010
Sleep Problems, Intellectual Disability and Melatonin, Wiebe Braam, M.D., The Netherlands, 1/2010
Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and Anthocyanins, WenHua Ling, M.D., Ph.D., China, 12/2009
Diabetes Mellitus and Alpha Lipoic Acid, Dr. Vincenzo Gianturco, Italy, 12/2009
Staying Healthy Webinar Series With Kirk Hamilton at EnergeticNutrition.com
While all the completed 6 part webinar series is available in video, audio or for download the webinar entitled - What Can Gorillas Teach Us About Weight Loss? Reversing the Obesity Epidemic with the Gorilla Diet and Weight Loss Program will complement the theme of this newsletter issue on how to control weight naturally with a high nutrient dense, but low calorie dense whole food, plant-strong diet. Our national and the world-wide obesity epidemic is not only controllable but reversible. This PowerPoint webinar will make this abundantly clear. You can view/listen to the webinar by clicking here.
Staying Healthy Today - Current Research Nutrition & Prevention Research
Increased Food Energy Supply Is More Than Sufficient To Explain The US Epidemic Of Obesity.
Obesity and Overweight: The World Health Organization
Prevalence And Trends In Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008.
Prevalence Of High Body Mass Index In US Children And Adolescents, 2007-2008.
Effect Of Intensive Lifestyle Changes On Endothelial Function And On Inflammatory Markers Of Atherosclerosis.
Association Of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels With Telomeric Aging In Patients With Coronary Heart Disease.
Clinical Trial: B Vitamins Improve Health In Patients With Coeliac Disease Living On A Gluten-Free Diet.
Extended-Release Niacin Or Ezetimibe And Carotid Intima-Media Thickness.
Flexible Dose Open Trial Of Vijayasar In Cases Of Newly-Diagnosed Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR), Collaborating Centres, New Delhi.
Statin Adverse Effects : A Review Of The Literature And Evidence For A Mitochondrial Mechanism.
Oral Vanadyl Sulfate Improves Hepatic And Peripheral Insulin Sensitivity In Patients With Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.
Effects Of Chromium On Body Composition And Weight Loss.
Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Single Blind Trial Of Holy Basil Leaves In Patients With Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.
Orthomolecular Psychiatry. Varying The Concentrations Of Substances Normally Present In The Human Body May Control Mental Disease.
Ascorbic Acid In Cholesterol And Bile Acid Metabolism.
Vitamin C, Titrating To Bowel Tolerance, Anascorbemia, And Acute Induced Scurvy.
Vitamin Therapy In Schizophrenia.
Intensive Nutritional Supplements Can Improve Outcomes In Stroke Rehabilitation.
Phase I Clinical Trial Of I.V. Ascorbic Acid In Advanced Malignancy.
Mediterranean Diet And Risk For Alzheimer's Disease.
Mediterranean Diet And Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Memory Improvement Following Induced Hyperinsulinemia In Alzheimer's Disease.
Insulin Increases CSF Abeta42 Levels In Normal Older Adults.
The Role Of Insulin Resistance In The Pathogenesis Of Alzheimer's Disease: Implications For Treatment.
Hyperinsulinemia provokes synchronous increases in central inflammation and beta-amyloid in normal adults.
Insulin Resistance And Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis: Potential Mechanisms And Implications For Treatment.
Insulin Resistance, Inflammation, And Cognition In Alzheimer's Disease: Lessons For Multiple Sclerosis.
The Role Of Metabolic Disorders In Alzheimer Disease And Vascular Dementia: Two Roads Converged.
Remember Until Next Time, Stay and Be Well
Kirk
P.S. If you think this Staying Healthy Today Health Letter is of value please send this link to a friend to join - http://www.prescription2000.com/Newsletter-Registration/radio-notification-list.html
Kirkhamilton@prescription2000.com
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