Blood Results in! Drugs don't work this well.

Leafy Greens are better than drugs?  Lipitor can't guarantee these results.


The Diet

• No Processed Foods (no added oils and no refined flours)
• Whole Foods
• Plant Based

3 months ago I set out to put the challenge of the Paleo Diet head to head with a Plant Strong Vegan Diet.  I was the guinea pig, and willingly volunteered the results of this experiment with friends and family alike.  Truth be told, I thought that the Paleo diet would win out - but there is something to the Plant Based diet after all.

Results are In - Heart Health
Admittedly, I have been sitting on these results for the past week. I am shocked.  I wanted to take the time to look across blood results from the past several years.

In 9 weeks (with a focus on the Plant Strong Vegan Diet for just 6 of those weeks), through diet alone I was able to:

• Drop total Cholesterol from 234 to 158
• Lower LDL from 152 to 82
• Improve HDL/LDL Ratio from 0.43 to 0.70
• Improve apoB100/apoAI Ratio from 0.60 to 0.40
• Triglyceride levels remain well below risk (68 vs 150)

All indicators point to improved cardio-vascular health.  Regardless of where you stand in the Cholesterol debate, you cannot deny that the overall combination of numbers here points to a healthy heart.  LDL? Check.  HDL? Check.  HDL/LDL ratio? Check.  Triglycerides? Check.

Triglycerides
The chart below contains all blood tests conducted over the past several years.  Not all tests were completed by the same physician (which is why I do not have numbers for every measurement at every test).  During this whole Paleo Goes Vegan experiment I fully anticipated a significant increase in Triglyceride (TG) levels.  After all, I was now consuming grains - and according the to the avid followers of the Paleo diet, the grains are the cause of TG increase (which many argue is a better indicator of cardiac health than total Cholesterol).  I was shocked to see that my TG levels remained well within the range of "ideal health".

So, if you are skipping ahead and reading the chart you are probably thinking - "Hey, Beth, your triglyceride levels increased during the Engine 2 Immersion program and only dropped later - what gives?!"

Well, in between the two diets (Paleo and Plant Strong Vegan) I had a cheat week.  I allowed myself to eat anything that I desired for approximately one week.  And while my idea of a "free for all" diet is still considered healthy when compared to the Standard American Diet, I was definitely consuming processed grains during that time.   When I look back over the past few years I notice how much my TG have changed since committing to the Paleo diet.  Several years ago I was aware of the Zone and Paleo diet, but would follow the diet about half of the time.

Once committing to a diet there were two significant changes.    1) I stopped eating dairy products (with a few exceptions for celebratory occasions for ice-cream and fancy cheese).    2) I stopped eating highly refined grains (no flour).

When I had the first blood work completed after the Paleo diet, I had attributed the improved TG levels to the removal of grain.  But seeing that the Plant Strong Vegan diet yielded the same results, I now believe that it is the removal of processed grains that has led to the improvement.

Why am I not pointing to the removal of dairy as the reason for the improved TG scores?  Because during my cheat weeks I like to indulge in pasta and cookies (do not ever, ever leave a bag of cookies alone in the house with me, they will be gone within the day).  The week prior to the immersion, where I had a 20 point lift in TG, I consumed copious amounts of spaghetti, noodles, dumplings, and white bread.  I do not crave dairy and did not include it in the weeks between Paleo and Plant Strong Vegan.  Once on the Plant Strong Vegan plan I removed processed foods from the diet.  I had plenty of Whole Grains - but no refined flours, as a result the TG levels went back down.

Cliff Notes Version - 

• Eat processed grains/sugars, increase Triglyceride levels
• Remove processed grains/sugars, lower Triglyceride levels

Beyond Cholesterol - What about TOTAL HEALTH?
The question I would hear most during this exercise is  - "How do you FEEL?'.  Overall I felt great during the day, but was challenged when it came to exercise.  Crossfit was harder than it had been - and I lost my ability to excel in the intense work-outs.  I was once one of the strongest girls on the team, and now I am at the bottom of the pack (and no, stronger girls did not join the team).  As a result, I am less motivated to go to the gym - it just isn't as enjoyable as it once was.  Just try to keep your motivation when your skill is declining - it's not fun.

In reviewing the blood work, there are a few anomalies. 
Protein:  Total Protein is lower, but not terribly lower than it was a year ago
Liver Function:  There are a handful of markers that are elevated.

• For the first time my blood results show elevated LDH. This enzyme is an indicator of tissue damage and is also related to Anemia of B12 deficiency.  The 1-mile Body Weight Sled pull I had performed the night before the blood work probably has something to do with these results - but then again, this isn't the first time I completed a blood test after a burner of work-out the night before.  Anemia of B12 Deficiency  carries a few symptoms that I had experienced during the past 7 weeks - pale skin (yes, normally pale - but even my Northwestern acquaintances commented frequently that I had "lost color" in my face), shortness of breath in exercise, trouble concentrating (what did you say?).  I didn't test for B12 levels - and wish that I would have, but feel safe to say that this might be the cause of the elevated LDH.  Vegan diets do not provide B12, and most proponents of a vegan diet recommend supplementation.  I believe that any diet that requires supplementation is not an ideal diet and as such I did not supplement at all during the diet (to the disappointment of my ND, who kindly reminds me of the need to take Vitamin D in the winter months).
• Elevated SGOT/AST levels are indicators of liver disease OR muscle injury.  Did I mention the sled pull?  Since other indicators of liver disease are not present (all Bilirubin results were within normal range and not listed above), it is likely a result of muscle damage.

What's Next?
Somewhere between the Paleo Diet and the Plant Strong Vegan Diet is my Optimal Diet.  A diet that supports overall health, provides me with the essential nutrients needed for a long and healthy life, one that allows me to live long and strong :)

There are a handful of truths that I am moving forward with:

• Processed Foods should be eliminated from the diet.  If you can't make it in your kitchen from a whole food - don't eat it.  This includes processed flours, refined oils, artificial anything, don't eat it.
• Eat Sustainable Foods - Vegan or Not, the Industrial Agricultural System is supplying us with food that is void of nutrients, and in many cases down-right dangerous.  Healthy food (plant or animal) is the foundation of a healthy diet. 
• Wild Caught, Sustainably Sources, Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, animal products as part of  a plant based diet, can be beneficial to health.  Let's face it - we are omnivores.  But that doesn't mean that a majority of our caloric intake should come from animal protein sources.  
• Eliminate Dairy - All, and I mean ALL, research that connects cancers with consumption of animal protein was completed using Dairy Protein.  Casein.  Nature is wonderful, it has provided dairy to help baby animals grow.  Dairy = growth.  Promoting tissue growth is a good thing for infants (breast milk is best) - promoting tissue growth is not a good thing for minimizing cancer rates.  We all walk around with potential for malicious growths - whether or not we turn these cancer cells on is due in great part to our diet.  Sure - the dairy issue is debatable, but really there are no nutrients we gain from dairy that cannot be gained from other food sources - so why even risk it?

I'll be continuing my search for the Optimal Diet in a Sustainable Future.  And while I figure out the details of evolution, I encourage questions - feedback and thoughts.

PS - I am also looking for a few more guinea pigs to go through the experiment with me.  Interested?

Total Cholesterol is not a complete indicator for CHD

Total Cholesterol has been touted as the number to look to when considering total risk for Cardiac Heart Disease. 

But recent research indicates that the combination of low HDL2 and high LDL is the recipe for CHD (and not Total Cholesterol- TC).  Your TC number is made up of subfractions of lipoproteins.   Basically:

Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + VLDL

According to a cohort study completed by the Berkeley Lab it isn't the Total Cholesterol number that matters, but rather the combination of the HDL, LDL, and VLDL within the Cholesterol.  In all cases where Total Cholesterol seemed to be associated with Cardiac Heart Disease, the LDL number was the reason the Total Cholesterol number was high - and it was actually high LDL (in association with low HDL) that led to heart disease.

BW Workout and BW changes

Yesterday was the final day of the second stage of Paleo Goes Vegan.

This morning I had blood work completed (results due within the next 48 hours) and this evening I completed my benchmark workout.  For the past 6 weeks I have adhered to a strictly vegan diet. No animal products at all and I have focused on a Plant Strong Vegan diet - relying on minimally processed foods, limited oil consumption, and limited intake of added sweeteners.   As mentioned in earlier posts, overall I feel good - but there have been a few minor setbacks:

Body Composition

It changed.  Overall I lost 6 pounds since the beginning of the diet, and nearly all 6 pounds were lost in the first week.  While the weight loss might seem to be a benefit it really wasn't.  Where I lost the weight, and where I gained it, actually resulted in a change in body shape. I can't believe I am about to post this - but in the effort of transparency and full disclosure - here goes.  I lost my butt and gained a belly.  Seriously - place me in a baggy shirt and slim jeans and overall I look thinner, but I wear the same size clothing now - I'm just filling out my clothing in different places.

Exercise
Over the course of the last six weeks there was a noticeable change in my ability to maintain intense workouts.  Overall strength remained, but the met-con Crossfit style workouts became challenging.  I decided to pick one workout to complete at the end of the Paleo portion of this personal experiment and then again at the end of the Vegan portion. The workout was a BW (Body Weight) 1 mile sled pull for time.  The pull is actually more than body weight as we are loading a sled that weighs approximately 15kg (33lbs).   Load the sled with weights, tie rope around a belt, pull the sled on asphalt for one mile (sounds fun, right?).  I thought that this would be a good workout, and since I was having trouble with intensity, I assumed that I would perform better on this workout as it combined strength with endurance.  I was wrong.

On February 18th I completed this workout in 42 minutes at a BW of 60kg.  Tonight I completed the  same workout in 47.26 minutes with a BW of 58kg.  That is 12% reduction in performance.

Blood Work

I am waiting for the final results from the blood draw today and should have an update by the end of the week.  I had blood work completed twice on the Paleo diet.  Once was approximately 2 weeks into the diet and again 2 weeks later.  I was able to compare these to a test completed on year earlier, a time when I was following a healthy diet but not a strict Paleo Diet.  Here are some of the results:

• Total LDL
• 2/03/10: 107
• 1/14/11: 130
• 2/4/11: 152
• Total HDL
• 2/03/10: 44
• 1/14/11: 73
• 2/4/11: 65
• Triglycerides
• 2/3/10: 155
• 1/14/11: 62
• 2/4/11: 63
• Total Cholesterol
• 2/3/10: 177
• 1/14/11: 215
• 2/4/11: 234

The Paleo Diet is effective at dropping triglyceride levels, but tends to raise total cholesterol levels in the process.  Recent information suggests that total cholesterol might not be the best indicator of overall health and that triglyceride levels should be the focus.  This seems to be at the core of the debate between the Paleo followers and Vegan proponents.

What I have learned is that these levels can change drastically in a very short time with a change in diet.  You can see how a quickly the numbers change in a 3 week window, simply by following the Paleo diet.  What I haven't shared with you yet is that in this process I allow myself a "cheat" week.  A time where I fall off any diet and consume what ever it is I want (I still lean toward whole foods, but tend to consume more sugars and fat that I might normally eat and would consume some processed and refined foods).

Before moving onto the vegan diet I allowed myself a cheat week.  I continued to eat meat, but added grains (pasta) and sweets and some refined foods like chips.  Upon entering the immersion program our blood work was completed at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week.  The results are as follows:

• Total Cholesterol
• 2/21/11: 200
• 2/26/11: 180
• HDL Cholesterol:
• 2/21/11: 61 
• 2/26/11: 55
• Triglycerides:
• 2/21/11: 83
• 2/26/11: 84
• LDL Cholesterol:
• 2/21/11: 122
• 2/26/11: 108

Isn't fascinating how in 5 days results can change so dramatically! Cholesterol lowering drugs do not perform this well.  What is also of interest is the change from the Paleo tests to the tests at the beginning of the immersion program.

These numbers changed when I decided to go off any diet and introduce non-healthy foods.  I added sugar and refined foods and flours and my numbers improved.  Let me say that again - my diet got worse and my numbers "improved" (with the exception of triglycerides).  Something is wrong here, and I question if it's the diet. 

The final results are almost in.  I have requested a VAP report, so later this week we will compare VAP from 2/4/11 to VAP on 4/5/11 and really dig into the results.  For now, I am going to thoroughly enjoy my post workout protein shake (complete with egg protein, sun butter, berries, and flax).

Vegan or not - this dish rocks!

I have been exploring the vegan diet for nearly 6 weeks now and everyone wants to know if I am tired of the food yet.  On the contrary - the food has been fantastic (the only issue is getting access to great food when I am on the road).

My favorite recipe so far is a variation of Rip's Sweet Potato Bowl the Engine 2 Diet book.  It's really easy, and really delicious - meat eaters and vegans agree on this.

  The recipe is simple:

• 1 cooked carrot - sliced
• 1 cooked Sweet Potato - cut into bite size cubes
• 1 Mango - peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 can of black bean, rinsed and drained
• 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1 Tbsp of Braggs Amino Acid or Balsamic vinegar

Mix all carrot, pepper, beans together and warm (microwave will do),  Add the mango, avocado, cilantro, and drizzle with Braggs.  The recipe will easily serve two.  Trust me, this is much, much better than it sounds.

T Colin Campbel didn't mention this . . .

I had the rare opportunity to personally ask T Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, if any of the studies on animal protien had been conducted using a animal protein source that was not casein (dairy).  The conversation went a little like this (from memory, not exact quotes):

Me: Is there research showing cancer rates using a non-dairy animal protein?
Campbell: Yes, there are studies that show that protein from vegetable sources do not promote cancers
Me: I'm sorry, the question was are there any studies from non-dairy animal protien sources?
Campbell: Casien is representative of all animal protiens. (short answer, then moved on to next question)

This left me to believe that there were no studies conducted on non-dairy animal protien.

Perhaps Dr Campbell doesn't consider fish to be an animal, since he actually conducted a study in 1985, comparing fish proetein to animal protien.

His findings:
This study provides evidence that fish oils, rich in omega 3 fatty acids, may have potential as inhibitory agents in cancer development.

The gist of the study results:
Casein (dairy protein) + Corn Oil = Cancer
Fish Protein + Corn Oil = Cancer
Fish Protein + Fish Oil = Significant decrease in development of cancer

Does anyone else see a trend here?

In Search of Science -

How can you site studies and sources that doesn't acctually support the claim you are making?

It's been a while since my last post for 2 reasons. 

1. I've been on the road this last week and was challenged with setting time to post.
2. I've been seeking sources for information to help determine the optimal diet, but finding that the science does not actually support the claims being made by health professionals.

There are numerous studies and articles, some telling you that a vegan diet is optimal and others promoting a more carnivorous lifestyle.  As I seek to find the answers I have gone in search of the science that backs up these claims.  And I am appalled by the claims made by well respected sources. I am constantly finding articles and resources that reference scientific studies, only to find that the studies that are reference do not actually support the claims that the author is making. 

Today, as I prepare to make the amazing Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagna, I went to the Engine 2 website to get the details on the recipe. While skimming through the site I decided to follow his link to "About the Science", which led to a list of links where I could pick a health topic to explore. I chose to read up on cancer, since that seems to be the most controversial between the vegans and meat eaters.

Once in the post  I followed an external link titled "Meat Consumption and Cancer Risk".  This link directed me to the website of the Cancer Project.  On the site is a lengthy article referencing studies which support a reduction in meat as means to preventing cancer.  The article sites 39 references. 39!  Wow, it must be right, right?

One of the first statements in the article "Large studies in England and Germany showed that vegetarians were about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat eaters".  40% is tremendous - if these large studies are right then why aren't more people adopting this diet?  This one sentence references 3 sources.  So, let's look at the source -

Source One : Debunked!

• The first was a 1994 study by the Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The study concluded that "These data do not justify advice to exclude meat from the diet since there are several attributes of a vegetarian diet apart from not eating meat which might reduce the risk"

Source Two - Debunked!

• The second was a German study that was first published in 1992 in Epidemiology in which a cohort study of 1,904 vegetarians and persons leading a health-conscious life style in Germany were followed for 11 years.  5 years into the authors of the study felt that "healthy participant effect, higher socioeconomic level, and the greater health consciousness . . may have explained most of the observed decreased mortality" and at the end of the study concluded that "nondietary factors, such as virtual absence of smoking and lower BMI may have also contributed to the lower mortality of the study participants".  Basically - this study did not conclude that meat consumption was the reason for cancer deaths.

•  Furthermore, additional research completed based on this study conclude that vegetarians may have lower mortality from ischemic heart disease than nonvegetarians, but no associations of a vegetarian diet with other major causes of death were established.

Study Three - Debunked!

• The third reference comes from a study that was a follow up the the previous article. In the 1993 study "Dietary and lifestyle determinants of mortality among German vegetarians" researchers a the Division of Epidemiology at the German Cancer Research Centre, followed up on the 11 year study.  They concluded that "a lower risk of death among moderate vegetarians suggests that sound nutritional planning may be more important than absolute avoidance of meat".

So the statement "Large studies in England and Germany showed that vegetarians were about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat eaters", is based on NOTHING.  There is NOTHING that supports the statement that vegetarians are 40% less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters.  In fact there is no link to cancer in these studies and consumption of meat.  In all studies the authors were unable to conclude that meat is responsible for increase in cancer rates.

I feel that I have been lied to.  I've been had!  And by a nonprofit organization committed to preventing cancer.  I am in moral conflict - how can I be so upset at an organization with such good intentions?!

We must go to the source - and know that just because a person has an M.D. at the end of their name does not mean that they automatically earn our trust.  Most frustrating in all of this is that I want to believe  that a vegetarian diet will reduce my odds of developing cancer.  But when I have been given false information it creates a cloud of distrust on all information coming from this group.

Does ANYONE out there have a study that supports that completely eliminating all animal meat from the diet will improve health?  Anyone . . .  just need one study that is not using casein(dairy) as the protein source.

Anyone  . . . . . .

Striking the balance between Calorie Density and Nutrient Density

Carbohydrates from calorie dense and nutrient poor sources (think white flour and white sugar) have been linked to an increase in chronic kidney disease. 

Shocking . . . we know that white sugar and white flour is detrimental to health, it's nice to see studies supporting this.  But I am still on the fence about nuts and seeds.  I love having them as a part of my diet, and have not seen adverse health problems from including them in the diet, but my recent goal of 20% of calories from fat means cutting back on these little gems.

When it comes to PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) one study suggests that nuts can reduce rates of inflamatory disease mortality. Nuts are very high on calorie density, but also quite high in Nutrient Density.

In fact, on average nuts and seeds out-perform whole grains in regards to nutrient density.  This chart comes from the Eat Right America program and is listed on wholefoodsmarket.com

Taking an average ANDI score for the top 10 foods for both categories I end up with Nuts and Seeds with an average of 48 out-performing the top 10 grains that average out to 31.6.  So why am I consuming so many grains while trying to avoid the fats in nuts and seeds?

Now don't confuse this questioning, I am not reverting on my ban on oil (which, by the way, has a nutrient density score of 9 for olive oil).  I can appreciate that the calorie density for quinoa is lower than the calorie density for cashew, and lowering calorie density is good for someone trying to control their weight - but veggies and fruit have a lower calorie density than grains, so why even bother with the grains?

There are several different Nutrient Density charts out there.  These come from Dr. Fuhrman and his Eat Right America program.  ANDI stands for Aggregated Nutrient Density Index.  For the calculation Dr. Fuhrman follows H=N/C, where H stands for Health, N for nutrients, and C for Calories.

So, what nutrients are being calculated?   

• Calcium, Carotenoids: Beta Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Lutein & Zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Fiber, Folate, Glucosinolates, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, plus ORAC score X 2 (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity is a method of measuring the antioxidant or radical scavenging capacity of foods).

What is missing from this list?  What about amino acids? Essential Fatty Acids? Vitamin A, D,  K?  Minerals? Additional nutrients?  The problem with placing a number on our food is that it not only misses out on capturing the known nutrients - but it misses the unknown and currently undiscovered nutrients.  What would happen to the ANDI scores of Fish and wild meats, and even other fruits and vegetables, once we included additional nutrients to Dr. Furhman's list.

We need not look farther than nature to find the foods that we are designed to eat.  The ANDI score is a great start - but it only scratches the surface.  And it casts doubt on how much grain we should be consuming.  There is more to appreciate in this beautiful bounty from the land and sea.  To blanket everything in simple terms of Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats not only is damaging to our health, but prevents us from appreciating the complexity and nourishment that comes from a peach rather than a cookie.

 

Confession Time - this might not be the optimal diet for me

Yes, I feel great on the vegan diet - for approximately 23 hours out of the day.  I sleep better, I have kicked the caffeine habit, I generally have more energy.  There is just one difference that I am less than thrilled about, and that is my performance in the gym.

Strength is good - I am maintaining a strong back squat and press.  Endurance is not a problem, I find that I run just as fast for a mile as I did when I was on the Paleo diet.  The problem is intensity.  Through several workouts of sprints or met-con Crossfit workouts I find myself in a state of extreme discomfort.

I know what my CF friends are thinking - doesn't it always hurt a little (and isn't that the point)?  Yes, but this is different.  In the high intensity metabolic conditioning workouts I find myself losing strength and unable to recover during the short breaks in the WOD.  And I am starting to wonder - am I getting enough protein or fat?

We've discussed fat, and the goal has been to reduce fat intake levels to 20- 25% of calories consumed. I won't go into further detail about fat consumption now as that has been covered in earlier posts.

During the Engine 2 Immersion program, Dr. Colin Campbell threw out a number that was surprising - human breast milk contains approximately 7% of calories from protein.  That's right, only 7%.  He implied that humans at their greatest time of growth only require 5-10% of calories from protein, and therefore as adults there is no reason to go above this number.  I was surprised and thought that I must be consuming too much protein.

But then I began thinking. . . Something just doesn't add up here.  If we are to aim for a diet in which 20% of our calories comes from fat, and less than 10% comes from protein, then that means 70% of calories should come from carbohydrates.

But - if we are to apply the mother's milk guidelines to protein, then why wouldn't we apply it to other macro-nutrients (carbs and fat) as well? The average macro-nutrient break down for human breast milk is as follows:

• 55% from Fat
• 7% from Protein
• 38% from Carbohydrates

So, let's do a little math here.  If we were to follow the 55%/7%/38% ratio listed above but reduce the fat content to 20% while keeping the Carbohydrate to Protein ratio balanced we would end up with the following:

• 20% fat
• 59% carbohydrate
• 11% protein

This breakdown ironically takes me to where I am today with my diet.  I have been following the Plant Strong Vegan diet and falling into a 20% fat, 59% carb and 11% protein diet - but struggling with intensity.

It begs the question - do I need to do met-con workouts?  The answer for me is unequivocally - yes.  No other activity, hobby, or sport in my life has yielded the results I get from Crossfit.  It is more than strength and fitness, it is clarity of mind, mental well being, confidence.  It is my social network, my second family, and all in all I am better at life because of it.

So if this diet results in a decrease in desire to continue Crossfit, then I need to modify the diet.  Somewhere between the two macro-nutrient breakouts above is the answer.  But the answer will not be found by focusing on the carbs, fats, and proteins.  The answer will be found in continuing to seek out a "whole foods", plant based, diet that is consumed as nature intended, and by watching the nutrient breakout as I try new diets (rather than letting the breakout define the diet)

Final blood results on the Plant Strong vegan diet are not complete yet, and I will hold off on any modifications to this diet until the results are in.


My goal is simple - to live a long life and to be strong enough and healthy enough to enjoy every opportunity this wonderful world has to offer.  Live long, live strong. (And never let one objective prevent the other).

Home Sweet Home (how to clear your fridge after weeks on the road)

I've been on the road for nearly 6 weeks now, on and off with short stints at home.  After a day trip to BC today I wanted nothing more than to spend the evening at home cooking and cleaning.  (Seriously, you take these things for granted after a while - my two unpacked suitcases, from two separate trips, have been nagging me from the corner of my room for the past week).

Since beginning this vegan journey most of my time has been on the road.  When I first returned home I was committed to cooking as much food as possible at home.  This began with a trip to Whole Foods Market to stock up on a fridge full of lovely organic veggies.

Fast forward 4 weeks and I am faced with a refrigerator full of produce that is about to spoil if I do not eat it TODAY.

What to do? Make Soup!

This is a trick from my college days, a time when nothing went to waste (scrambles made from leftovers was my specialty). It's quite simple really, look through your fridge, find flavors that compliment one another, add a few spices, a little broth (if you have it) tomato paste and water, set in the slow cooker and a few hours later you have a wonderful soup that will last for days on produce that you were ready to dispose of.

Tonight I pulled together a soup of: kale, zucchini, garlic, carrots, celery, and broccoli.  There are a few items I always keep on hand:  black beans, tomato paste, veggie broth, seasoning, and wild rice (or any wild grain will do).

Some veg items cook slower than others and therefore require a little cooking in advance (easily done in the microwave).

The Recipe
Nothing fancy - and no measuring (a general rule I like to follow) and since this is a clear-out-the-pantry/fridge type of dish, I won't even list the ingredients, but rather the process I follow when making the dish.

1. Look through the refrigerator - what must be cooked, what do you have, what do you enjoy in your soup/stew?
2. Look through the pantry - what do you have that can serve as a base?  A grain, a can of beans, a can of tomatoes? Pull those items out and place on your kitchen counter
3. Look through your spice rack - which seasonings do you enjoy?  Basil?  All purpose seasoning? Smell the seasonings and spices in your spice rack while looking at the ingredients you have pulled from the fridge, which one do you think will complement the dish the ingredients you are planning to cook?
4. Prep - cut all of your veggies to bite size pieces.  Separate the delicate items from the hearty ones (mushrooms cook fast and are delicate, carrots are slow and require extra time in the slow cooker)
5. Pre-cook Hearty Veggies - Carrots, Potatoes, and Root Veg will need additional cooking time.  I am impatient and prefer to precook these in the microwave.  An easy 2-3 minutes should be sufficient.
6. Throw everything in the slow cooker (including no more than a cup of grain), cover with water, add seasoning.
7. Let the slow cooker do all of the work and enjoy 2-4 hours later.

One batch will usually provide for multiple meals.  Enjoy now, save some for lunch tomorrow, and freeze anything you won't consume in the next 72 hours.

Too much fat in the "modern" Paleo Diet?

I hate to break it to my Crossfit friends, but reality is : Bacon is not Paleo.

Despite the great focus from the modern authors of the Paleo Diet, Robb Wolf and Loren Cordain, the reality is that many have used the diet as an excuse to pack on the fatty meats and nuts by the fist-full. 

On the Paleo diet and miss your crackers?  Just make it out of Almond flour!  "It's Paleo!", right?  I was guilty, but in my search for the optimal diet and while uncovering what it means to be a "Plant Strong" Vegan, I was surprised to learn that the Hunter-Gatherer societies only consumed approximately 20% of calories in Total Fat.

20% - That's right, 20%.  By today's standards 20% is considered a "low-fat" diet, and this quite honestly has been the most challenging aspect of my new diet.

The American Journal on Clinical Nutrition article Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Chronic Disease (AP Simopoulos, 1995) is well referenced by both the Paleo and Vegan community (yes, they do agree in some cases).   The article makes the strong argument that the increase in added oils is the source for the heavy imbalance of omega 6:3 ratio.  

"Modern agriculture, with its emphasis on production, has decreased the n-3 fatty acid content in many foods: green leafy vegetables, animal meats, eggs, and even fish."

What is "Modern Agriculture"?  Many in the Paleo community have pointed the the Agricultural Revolution as the point of decline in human health.  I would argue that "Modern Agriculture" is actually Industrial Agriculture, which is completely different than Pre-Industrial Agriculture.

More to come on Industrial Agriculture.  In the meantime the focus is on reducing the amount of added oil in my diet, a challenging but not impossible feat for this road warrior

Middle of the road

Three weeks into the Vegan diet and everyone wants to know:

• How do I feel?
• Is it hard to eat vegan?
• Are you hungry?

I am saving judgment until the end of this portion of the experiment and keeping an open mind to the vegan point of view.  You will notice that my posts link to studies and facts, but provide little in the way of a definitive answer to the question - Paleo or Vegan?  The jury is still out, and I am learning something new every day.

But to answer the questions:

• How do you feel?
• I feel great! In fact I am surprised by how good I feel, My energy levels are higher than they have every been. I am managing stress better than I did three weeks ago. I am sleeping better and finding that I am fully rested after about 6 hours of sleep (over the 8 hours previously).  Not sure what the cause is - increased veggies, decrease oil, decrease animal protein - not ready to pin it to one area - but I do feel amazing
• Is it hard to eat vegan?
• It can be challenging when traveling, but I made it work during the last weekend trip to Des Moines (and truth be told I slipped and had a slice of cheese pizza at 1am following an awesome wedding reception - the waitress told me it was vegan, at least I think she did).  I am learning to cook more and make better choices, changing habits can be difficult, but it has been fun.
• Are you hungry?
• Sometimes I am hungry, and when I am -  I eat.  Difference is that now there is little guilt associated to satisfying any hunger pangs during the day.  But generally speaking, I am as hungry now as I was three weeks ago.

Feel free to comment, ask questions, and push any of my assumptions - this is a learning process for me, so I welcome the dialog!

What about Fish Oil?

Surely, surely I must need to supplement my diet with Omega 3, right?  After all the news and reports we receive regarding the modern diet imbalance of Omega 3:6 it is assumed that we need a diet of fish, grass fed beef, and if not then we must supplement with Omega 3.

One of the speakers at the immersion program put it perfectly - getting the diet right is like opening a safe with a combination lock, you have to get all numbers aligned - 3 out of 4 won't open the safe.  That point becomes clear as we look at the issue of Omega oils.  It isn't enough to just eat more fruits and vegetables, if you do not control the amount of added oil to your diet you will still face health problems.

In my last post I highlighted the issue of added oil.  Added oil (olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, corn oil, etc) is believed to damage the epithellium, as well as contribute to caloric density (something to avoid if you are trying to lose weight).  These added oils are also greatly responsible for throwing our Omega 6:3 ratios out of whack.

Take a look at the following chart (found at http://www.prognutrition.com/libraryomega3nutrition.html)

- do you see what I see?

 

Yes, the oils that are so commonly used in recipes, added to your favorite dish, and topping those lovely greens, these oils are responsible for the rapid increase in Omega 6 to the American diet.  

Basically - if you do not consume the excess oil, you will not need the added fish or flaxseed oil (PS, you cannot cook with flaxseed oil, it is unstable at high temperatures and becomes carcinogenic when heated).

Ok, ok - so know you are thinking, Beth, why can't I just eat all that yummy greasy food and add fish oil?

As much as we would like to believe that our bodies are amazing machines, capable of repairing all that we throw at them, the truth is that we have our limits.  Omega 6 and Omega 3 oils require the same enzymes to break these oils down into DHA and PG.  The only issue is that these enzymes prefer Omega 6, and only after the Omega 6 has been synthesized will these enzymes be freed to work on Omega 3.   See the problem here?  What happens when your body has exhausted the enzymes? 

Better question - how can we increase the amount of enzymes in our bodies?  - Eating more fruits and vegetables (is your head spinning yet)

Thanks to the website http://www.benbest.com/health/essfat.html for some serious science and a little
chemistry refresher.  Recommendations to improve the balance of Omega 6 to 3 are there, but overall message is to reduce total fat.  "Optimum dietary benefit from fat for most people would come from a program of reduced total fat, reduced saturated and unessential fat, and increased proportions of omega−3 (relative to omega−6) essential fats."

Am I getting enough Omega 3 in the diet?  Yes, with the reduction of added oil, addition of ground flax in the diet from time to time and 1oz of walnuts (also high in Omega 3) added daily the diet, the Omega 6:3 ratio can be achieved in a Plant Strong vegan diet.

20% Fat - Eat Less Calorie Dense Foods

I've just returned from nearly 2 weeks in Austin and preparing to settle into my new diet and routine back home in Washington.

During my trip to Costco to pick up a new rice cooker/steamer I decided to purchase a few food items while I was there.  Costco has really ramped up their selection of organic and natural products, available in smaller packages.  Surprisingly, after an hour of reading labels I walked out of the store with nothing more than a bag of almonds, a dozen organic apples, and my rice cooker.  Why? Not because of the large quantities (after all, we are creatures of habit and I really will go through those apples in one week) but the natural and organic items they do carry are extremely high in % of calories from fat or sodium.

When it comes to packaged foods we are aiming for no more than 20% of calories from fat and a 1:1 ration on calories to mg of sodium. 

Fat
I was under the understanding that 30% of calories should come from fat, 30% from protein, and 40% from carbohydrates.   I was surprised to learn that this guidance from the USDA was not based recommendations or science, but rather what the USDA considered a tolerable level.  A study by the World Health Organization in 1997 consulted that in order to limit incidents of obesity a maximum of 20-25% of calories should come from fat.


Why did the USDA choose to list guidance of 30%?  Because they did not believe that society would accept the results (when they were currently consuming 40% of calories in the form of fat). 

"The dominant policies are still those relating to cardiovascular disease developed by Geoffrey Rose and Henry Blackburn for WHO in 1984. They specified a 15–30% range in total fat intakes because the Chinese and Japanese, with negligible CHD, diabetes and obesity in the 1970s, were consuming on average 14% fat, but this was totally unrealistic for the US and Northern European populations where intakes were well over 40%. So to choose a 30% figure was radical and a response to the need to reduce saturated fat intakes by simply reducing total fat."  The full report on the Epidemiology of Obesity can be found in the Journal of Internal Medicine.



What is wrong with this picture?
We have the knowledge that optimal daily fat intake is 14%-20% of total calories, the USDA recommends that 30% of calories from fat, food producers supply the population with processed foods which contain 40-70% of calories from fat, and we are all scratching our heads wondering why we have an obesity epidemic in the United States.  This is insane.

Obesity
In 2006, 66% of the US population was overweight and half of those were considered obese (33% of the population).  It is predicted that by 2015 75% of the population will be overweight, with 41% of total population obese.


According to the CDC, in 2008, obesity-related medical care costs were estimated to be as high as $147 billion.


Light Bulb
Regardless of which diet I settle into at the end of this experiment, one thing is incredibly clear - the improvement of health of our society (and mine) relies on 2 objectives:

• Increasing the consumption of nutrient dense foods
• Decreasing the consumption of calorie dense foods

Gassed Out / Why No Oil?

Jim and I have this saying when it comes to fitness:  "There are two types of people, bulldogs and greyhounds"  and I am a bulldog.  I am strong - much stronger than I look for my 5'4" 130lb frame.  But I am slow, and I often "gas out" on longer endurance sports.  What is "gassing out"? - difficulty breathing, face turning red, running out of steam, and the general feeling of inability to sustain whatever work-out it is that I am in the middle of.

For my entire life I just brushed this off as a trait.  I am a bulldog. 

But information received this week is giving me reason to change my point of view.  Sure, some of this may be due to genetics - but more likely than not, it's due to diet.

One of the speakers we had the fortune of hearing from this week is Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.  He discussed heart disease, he discussed the cholesterol, but what really got my attention was his lecture on the Endothelial Cells and Nitric Oxide.

Lining the inside of the blood vessels is a thin layer of cells, called the endothelial layer.  These small cells are responsible for producing nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide helps dilate the blood vessels.  Dilated blood vessels carry blood and oxygen to the major organs and to the brain when needed most (like extended workouts, climbing stairs, lifting heavy weights) and other times when increased blood flow is needed.  The folks at the Immersion Program repeatedly made note that the ability to dilate, or rather the inability is the major cause for ED (an early warning sign of heart disease)

Ok, so what does all of this have to do with diet?  Excessive oil and saturated fat damage the endothelial cells.  Damaged cells are produce less nitric oxide.  And when that happens vessels do not dilate as the should, and blood flow is decreased (to the brain and other vital organs).

The message on the endothelium was just one of many this week.  And it didn't quite sink in until this morning's weekend.  I am strong, and I am fast (in short sprints), but this morning I was regularly passed by on the 2 mile hill climb by fit vegans as they maintained a steady pace up the hill. 

Will moving to a vegan/plant perfect diet improve my endurance?  Time will tell.

Eat More Veggie

There is one area where the leaders of the Paleo diet and Vegan diet agree - Eat More Vegetables.  I just stumbled across this great chart on Robb Wolf's website.  While I am sure that the folks at Engine 2 would choose different items to place on the list, one area that we can all agree on is that vegetables (especially the leafy green ones) are the most nutrient dense foods we can consume.

 Mmmmm . . . . Kale!

(This chart is taken from the site of robbwolf.com on 2.21.11)

Day Two - Food

The biggest change to the diet thus far is not the lack of meat, but the addition of grain.  Grain in every meal - whole grains of course, but grains none the less.  My intake in grain is greater than my loss of animal protein.   I am ravenous by the time dinner comes around, and I find myself to be hungry 2 hours after eating.  I am hopeful that this will change as my body becomes accustomed to the new diet.

All of the food is delicious, I'm just not feeling the positive effects of the diet quite yet, and find myself craving something sweet within a short time after eating.

When I began Paleo the first three days were the most challenging - at that time I was craving grains, but soon moved past that stage - let's hope the same is true on day three of the Engine 2 Diet.

Today I had:

• Breakfast: Apple
• That's right, one apple. This was not part of the plan - this was due to my oversleeping and missing breakfast (thankfully I had an apple in my bag).  This could explain why I was so hungry by dinner.  I wasn't terribly hungry this morning, so I didn't feel that I was missing breakfast - and actually was hoping that the break would help with allowing my body to continue to digest the previous night's dinner

• Lunch: Engine 2 Pizza, Steamed Greens with Kale Butter, and Roasted Cauliflower

• The pizza crust was made from whole wheat and spelt flour.  Did I mention yet that there is NO OIL allowed in this diet (aside from what is naturally occurring).  The crust was dense but thin with a pasta sauce topping.  Quite delicious.  The Kale Butter is a recipe from the Engine 2 book, and is nothing more than a puree of steamed kale, walnuts, and water.

• Pre-Dinner Demo: Polenta Stack
• Ok, so that isn't the name of the dish - but best describes what we had.  Prior to each dinner we learn to prepare a simple meal or appetizer.  Tonight we had made an appetizer that comprised of a slice of polenta, sliced of tomato, slice of sweet potato, dollop of cilantro and lime, held together with a walnut cream paste (blend of walnuts, water, and garlic) and a drizzle  of   balsamic vinegar paste.

• Dinner: Meat Loaf, Steamed Collard Greens with Kale Butter, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, mixed Salad

• The Meat Loaf we had tonight was made with Lentils rather than meat crumbles (as in the linked recipe).  This was good - I mean really good, and I would definitely make this at home.  Using lentils rather than "meat crumbles" gave it a nice meat loaf like texture without.  Nothing unique about the greens, potatoes, and green beans.  The salad however was incredible.  I must find the recipe,  The chopped salad had a little bit of everything: lettuce, scallions, cashews, blueberries, tomatoes, carrots, all topped with a balsamic dressing.  Yum.

• Dessert: Berry Tart
• A fruit tart on a crust of what seems to be dates, oats, and pecans.  The fruit is covered in a raspberry puree.  This was so sweet and so delicious.   

Day One - Food

Since this is the Engine 2 Immersion Program nearly all of the food provided this week will be from recipes found either in the Engine 2 Book OR the Engine 2 website.  Here is what I ate today:

• Breakfast:  Rip's Big Bowl
• This is basically a mix of whole grain cereals.  That's right - cereal.  I have not had cereal in nearly three years - and golly it sure tasted good.  I used Almond Milk (as dairy is not allowed).
• Lunch: Salad with Bean Chili/Soup
• The salad was a basic spring mix topped with a variety of veggies and a vegan ranch dressing.  
• The chili had a consistency that was closer to soup.  It was a delicious mix bean soup in a tomato base with mushrooms, zucchini
• Dinner:  Nori Veggie Rolls followed by E2 Black Beans and Rice and Orange and Apricot Marinated Tofu
• Nori Veggie Rolls - prior to dinner we received a lesson on how to make vegan sushi rolls using nori seaweed, brown rice, cucumber, avocado, kale, mango, and green  onion.  Making the rolls were really easy, and they tasted good as well.
• E2 Black Beans and Rice - this recipe is online , and is basically a seasoned mix of brown rice, black beans, and veggie toppings.  After eating the rolls with brown rice I was starting to feel quite full of rice. 
• Dessert: Dumpster Blueberry Cobbler with Mixed Fruit
• I was completely full by this point - but felt the need to taste the blueberry dessert. With the consistency of a pancake, the blueberry tart was made of whole wheat flour, baking soda, vanilla, maple syrup and fresh blueberries.  

Day One on the Vegan Diet - Engine 2 Immersion

Today ends the first full day into the Engine 2 Immersion program.  This is the kick-off for the 28 days of vegan diet. The program officially began yesterday afternoon, with dinner on Sunday being the first meal into 28 days free from meat, dairy, oil, and processed foods.

It is 10pm Austin time, and I am exhausted.  The day began at 6:45 with a Crossfit work-out (modified Tabata squats), was filled with a day of lectures from the leaders in today's Plant Strong/Nutrient Dense/Vegan diet food movement, and ended with a motivational speaker.  

Although I attempted to reintroduce grain into my diet over the last week in preparation for this trip, I was not fully prepared for the shock to my system from the amount of grain and legumes consumed today.  And I am not alone. I should have taken notice when the medical doctor on staff offered to the entire group "a pill that will help with any gas for those of us not used to eating so many vegetables".

As someone who follows the Paleo diet, I have been eating  a diet high in vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds and fruit.  It is not the amount of vegetables, but the addition of grain that has me concerned.  I am committed to following the program, and hopeful that my system will acclimate to the new diet within the next 24-48 hours (as I have been told that it would).

Paleo or Vegan?

For those of you who know me you know that I am at the crossroads of a heated and controversial debate regarding optimal diets for health.   And the debate continues to come back to the question - Paleo or Vegan?

For the majority of my adult life I, like many of you, have hovered somewhere between 5 to 10 above my "ideal" weight (a number that is in itself debatable).  But it has always been more than the number on the scale - it's about how I feel:  energy levels, how my clothing fits, how well I sleep, concentration, etc.

Over the years I have dabbled with nearly every diet: low carb, vegetarian, weight watchers, zone, etc. And nearly all of them have left me with cravings and short term wins only to be followed by rapid weight gain.  The problem was that I was always "on a diet"  rather than focusing on my diet.  By diet I am referring to the everyday, what I choose to put into my body, how and when. 

A couple of years ago I tried the zone diet - and for the first time I noticed improved performance, energy levels, and overall well-being.  Problem was - it was a "diet" and not a natural way of living.  Rather than listening to the signals my body was sending I was obsessed with weighing, measuring and counting.  And if I had to travel?  Forget it!  I was off the "diet" and it all went downhill from there.

Then came the Paleo diet.  Simple premise:  over 98% of our evolutionary history is based on a hunter-gatherer diet.  We have evolved to eat a certain diet, and returning to that diet results in maximizing our physical capabilities.  Eat lean meats, veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds.  Unprocessed, unrefined, as nature intended.  Whole foods. If it can be hunted or gathered, it can be consumed. I followed these rules, ate when I was hungry and within weeks I had achieved my optimal weight.  For the first time in my life - I felt fit.  Not only that, but my performance in the gym improved tremendously.  My focus is clear, my performance at work increased.  It was the most simple diet, nothing to count or weigh or measure.  No cravings.

So here I am, as happy as can be with my new found diet.  I am practically a Paleo evangelist at this point, telling all my friends and family just how easy this has been. 

Fast forward one year:  I started a new job at Whole Foods Market as a Marketing Director, and during the holidays I am presented with a wide assortment of new goodies and treats.   Well, of course I must taste these items if I am to help sell them (or so I tell myself), and down the slippery slope I fall.  By the end of the year I was consuming pasta and bread, doughnuts and chocolate, in moderation of course - but still these nasty items had found their way back into my diet.  I had just lapsed back to 2003.

As previously disclosed, I work at Whole Foods Market, and we are on a mission to change the health of our communities.  To educate our customers and our community about healthy food options, and to promote a diet that focuses on healthy fats, nutritionally dense foods, whole foods (unrefined foods), and a plant based diet.  In an effort to encourage healthy eating, Whole Foods Market is sponsoring Team Members who wish to participate in Healthy Immersion Programs (1-2 week long retreats where healthy eating and cooking is taught in an effort to change the lifestyle of the participants).  Over the past 6 months I have watched in awe as my colleagues have returned from these retreats with new found vitality and health.  My experience with the Paleo diet seemed similar to my co-workers experience with their new diets.  I was excited to see this progress and wanted to know if I would have the same experience.

There are so many similarities (whole foods, minimally processed, healthy fats)  There is one main difference between these Healthy Immersion programs and the Paleo diet.  My co-workers are now Vegan.

So - what is the solution to optimal health - Paleo or Vegan?

I am determined to settle this once and for all.  For my own peace of mind, and to feel that I can confidently establish a diet that will promote health that will support a long and vibrant life.  I am going to test both diets.

Beginning January 14th, 2011, I will follow a Paleo diet for 4 weeks.  I will have blood work taken at the beginning of the journey, at the midpoint and again at the end. 

On February 19th I will participate in the Engine 2 Diet as part of the Healthy Immersion program sponsored by Whole Foods Market.  I will follow this diet for 4 weeks.  I will have blood work taken at the beginning of the journey, at the midpoint, and again at the end. 

I will share my experience, results, thoughts and reflections with you on this site.  I welcome any feedback, thoughts, comments, etc. 


So the challenge begins - Paleo vs. Vegan!