Tag Archives: new year

Eat less red meat in your diet for better heart health this new year

red meat, health, heart health, beef, pork, processed meatWhen you’re planning your healthy diet this year, don’t forget the protein. However, if you’re following a low carbohydrate, paleo, or keto diet this year, be sure to plan your protein in a healthful way. Many people trying to cut carbs often just eat whatever protein they crave. This can sometimes mean lots of burgers, sausage, and bacon. This type of red meat is ok in moderation. But too much red meat can be harmful to heart health. Recent studies show that red meat can release a chemical in the body that can put you at greater risk for heart disease.

What is considered red meat?

Red meat is just as it sounds. A protein is considered red meat when it has red-colored flesh. The reddish color comes from the amount of the protein myoglobin found in the meat. This protein is purplish in color and is fixed in the tissue cells. When it is exposed to oxygen, it becomes oxymyoglobin and produces a bright red color. The protein hemoglobin found in small amounts in raw meat can also contribute to some of the red color of red meat.

Beef as well as lamb, pork, and veal are red meat animal proteins. Also, any processed products made from such meats count toward your red meat intake. These products can include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli meats like roast beef, salami, and ham.

Red meat and heart health

For many years, health experts have been telling us to limit red meat in the diet. Red meat intake can lead to an increase in risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. In fact, a 2017 report shows that the more processed red meat you consume, the greater risk you will be at developing colorectal cancer.

A more recent study looked at the effect of red meat intake on the health of healthy adults. For one month, these adults consumed either a diet providing protein from white meat, red meat, or non-meat sources. Those on the red meat diet were provided the equivalent of about eight ounces of red meat each day. Study results show that after one month, the blood levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the blood of those on the red meat diet were about three times higher than those on the other diets.

During digestion, TMAO forms in the gut after intake of red meat. Researchers suggest that TMAO may increase heart disease risk. When researchers placed the adults on different levels of saturated fat within the groups, those consuming higher levels of saturated fat had similar TMAO levels. Therefore, this research suggests that saturated fat intake is not linked with the heart disease risk associated with TMAO.

When study subjects switched diets, those switched from a red meat diet to another diet were able to lower their TMAO levels after one month. This shows that it is never too late to make small changes to your diet to help improve your health and lower your heart disease risk.

Other ways to improve your diet this new year

Now that you know something that can increase your heart disease risk,  let’s talk about how you can lower your risk. Here are few dietary and lifestyle changes you can make today to help lower your heart health risk this new year.

  • Add more antioxidant fruits and vegetables to your diet. Not only will these foods add gut-friendly fiber to your diet, but the antioxidants can help reduce inflammation in your body. When you reduce inflammation, you lower chronic disease risk. So, load up at least half of your meal plates with these fiber-rich foods.
  • Lower alcohol intake and stop smoking. These new year resolutions can also help your heart health. This is because smoking can constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure. Also, drinking too much alcohol can lead to weight gain, increased blood pressure, and higher levels of blood fats. So try not to drink more than one standard drink a day for women and no more than two a day for men. A standard drink is either 12 ounces beer, 5 ounces wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.
  • Add a heart health supplement each day. If you are deficient in vitamins and minerals, this can impact overall health. See your doctor on a regular basis to see if you are deficient in anything. If so, you may need to add in a supplement like iron, vitamin B12, or vitamin D to help you feel better. You could also add a heart specific supplement like Alestra by Vita Sciences. Alestra contain ingredients like plant sterols and niacin that help promote healthy cholesterol levels and improved heart health.
  • Move more. This is a no-brainer. If you move more each day, at least thirty minutes a day most days, you can lower your heart disease risk. This thirty minutes can be split into two minute portions throughout the day or all together. It doesn’t matter when it comes to your health. The key is to move so you can strengthen your heart, lower your weight, and improve your overall health.
  • Stress less. It may not seem like a key to weight loss or healthy lifestyle success, but you must manage stress. This is because stress can lead to less energy to exercise, more emotional eating, and higher blood pressure. All of these factors can lead to poor heart health and overall health. So find ways to stress less such as doing yoga, relaxation breathing, meditation, or talking to a counselor weekly.

References:

American Institute for Cancer Research (September 20, 2017) “Processed Meats Increase Colorectal Cancer Risk, New Report.” http://www.aicr.org/cancer-research-update/2017/09_20/cru_processed-meats-increase-colorectal-cancer-risk-new-report.html

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (June 6-7, 2013) “Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Changes.” https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/heart-healthy-lifestyle-changes

NIH Research Matters (January 8, 2019) “Eating red meat daily triples heart disease-related chemical.” https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/eating-red-meat-daily-triples-heart-disease-related-chemical

NIH Research Matters (March 26, 2012) “Risk in Red Meat?” https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/risk-red-meat

United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (August 6, 2013) “The Color of Meat and Poultry.”

 

 

 

 

 

Drinking less alcohol could help weight loss goals this new year

holiday, drinking, alcohol, cocktail, beer, wine, health, weightWhen you think of celebrating the holidays, sweet treats, comfort foods, and holiday-flavored spirits may come to mind. Although it’s definitely ok to indulge a little during the holidays, too much of anything can sabotage your healthy lifestyle efforts. And with the new year rolling around soon, you should think ahead and make a plan. Because once this holiday season is over, the new year will surely bring about new celebrations with more food and drink temptations.  And recent research shows that by drinking less alcohol, you could increase your chances for weight loss success.

What is a standard drink?

You may hear health experts urge you to keep your drinking to so many standard drinks a week. When this term is used, a standard drink is equal to:

  • 12 ounces beer (5% ABV)
  • 8 ounces malt liquor (7% ABV)
  • 5 ounces wine (12% ABV)
  • 1.5 ounces liquor (40% ABV)

So, when you order that tall beer at the bar and grill, keep in mind that 22 ounces is nearly equal to two standard drinks. And experts recommend that women should consume no more than 7 standard drinks a week.  Also, men should consume no more than 14 standard drinks per week. Any more than this is considered heavy drinking.

Also, if you consume more than 4 standard drinks for women or 5 standard drinks for men in a two hour occasion, then you are binge drinking. So, if you feel like this describes your holiday or social events, then it may be time to visit you health care provider or call for resources in your area that can help you control or stop your drinking.

Alcohol health effects

Drinking too much in one night or over time can have serious health effects. Not only does alcohol impair mobility and speech in the short-term, but can also impact brain, heart, and liver health. Even short term, drinking too much can impair your immune system for up to 24 hours after becoming drunk. This puts you at higher risk for catching illnesses than others during this time. Also, long-term alcohol intake can lead to increased risk for inflammation of the pancreas and heart disease. Both of these conditions can place you at higher risk for hospitalization and serious illness.

Alcohol and weight loss

When it comes to weight loss, alcohol can stall your best efforts. First of all, alcoholic beverages contain unnecessary calories. No matter how low in carbs certain concoctions may be, you are still drinking your calories when consuming alcohol. Not to mention that alcohol can lower your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat and can slow your body’s fat burning abilities. The latter is because the liver is in charge of tasks like fat burning and removing toxins from the body. It considers alcohol a toxin.

Therefore, when you drink, it has to stop fat-burning to focus on ridding of the alcohol toxins from your body. In turn, your body burns less fat while you drink. It takes about one hour for your body to break down one standard drink of alcohol.

A recent study looked at alcohol and its impact on long-term weight loss in those with diabetes. Study results show that those who did not drink during the four year study lost more weight than those who drank any amount. Heavy drinkers had even worse long-term weight loss than others. Therefore, researchers suggest that patients with type 2 diabetes especially should not drink alcohol if they are trying to lose weight.  Needless to say, this study shows that anyone, regardless of health status, would benefit from drinking less alcohol.

Other ways to be healthier in the new year

Besides cutting down on drinking alcohol, there are also other ways you can be healthier this coming new year.

  • Sleep more: Most adults should sleep at least seven hours a night for optimal health.
  • Move more: Experts suggest that moving more each day, even in two minute spurts, for at least 150 minutes total each week, can benefit overall health.
  • Manage stress: Yoga, meditation, or just talking with a counselor can help you manage stress better and lower risk for emotional eating that can lead to weight management issues.
  • Eat more fruits and veggies: Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies can provide inflammation-fighting compounds that can help lower your risk of diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Not to mention that the fiber from such foods is vital to gut health.
  • Take a supplement: If you don’t feel you are getting enough nutrients in your diet, then take a supplement like Zestia by Vita Sciences. Zestia not only contains whole food vitamin and mineral sources, but also digestive enzymes and probiotics for digestive health.

-written by Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD

References:

  1. Bertoia, M. L., et al. (2015). “Changes in Intake of Fruits and Vegetables and Weight Change in United States Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years: Analysis from Three Prospective Cohort Studies.” PLoS medicine12(9), e1001878. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001878
  2. Centers for Disease Control (last reviewed March 29, 2018) “Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions.” https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#heavyDrinking
  3. National Health Service (last reviewed July 26, 2018) “How long does alcohol stay in your blood?” https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/how-long-does-alcohol-stay-in-your-blood/
  4. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (accessed December 18, 2018) “Alcohol’s Effects on the Body.” https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body
  5. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (accessed December 18, 2018) “What Is a Standard Drink?” https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
  6. ScienceDaily (December 3, 2018) “Alcohol intake may be key to long-term weight loss for people with Diabetes.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181203115449.htm
  7. Sinha, R., & Jastreboff, A. M. (2013). “Stress as a common risk factor for obesity and addiction.” Biological psychiatry73(9), 827-35.
  8. Traversy, G., & Chaput, J. P. (2015). “Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: An Update.” Current obesity reports4(1), 122-30.
  9. Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., Bliwise, D. L., Buxton, O. M., Buysse, D., Dinges, D. F., Gangwisch, J., Grandner, M. A., Kushida, C., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Patel, S. R., Quan, S. F., … Tasali, E. (2015). “Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society.” Sleep38(6), 843-4. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716